Team Crazy
by Knowledge is a powerful tool
Summary: Kakashi was killed at the wave mission, and being who they are, Team 7 decide to show their true selves and follow Zabuza around, to Zabuza's ire and Haku's amusement. Warning: Kinda Crack-fic! Discontinued, sorry.
1. Chapter 1

**Here's an idea I've had for a while...what do you think? It's not very thought trough or anything...but I thought it interesting.**

**EDIT: I fixed one wrong word, but I think I missed another one... and I can't find it. -.-" Sorry. Tell me if you notice it/them-ish.**

**Summary: Kakashi got killed at the wave mission, and being who they are, team 7 decided to show their true selves and follow Zabuza around.**

Naruto gritted his teeth angrily as he tried to reach Kakashi. The silver-haired man was too confident. Naruto could see Zabuza grin trough the mask of bandages, and then…

It was over.

Kakashi had been careless, and now he was slain, slashed in two by the zanbato-using Zabuza. Naruto blinked. "…Oi! Sakura! Sasuke! Kakashi kind of died…!" He exclaimed.

Haku blinked as Sasuke waved his arm in the air. "Oi, hunter-ninja! Sensei is dead…could you let me out now? I have to mourn…or something." He said, sounding completely different from his formerly silent-angry mood.

Haku tilted his head. "But, what about beating me?" He wondered. Sasuke shrugged. "Why? You're stronger than me. I have to train more first. Besides, why should I? I mean, I don't have any real reason…" He frowned thoughtfully. Haku mutely let the mirrors melt away.

Over with the bridge builder who was mercifully knocked out, Sakura tried to peer trough the mist. "He's dead? Did Zabuza kill him? I can't see anything!" She huffed. In the mist, Zabuza was staring incredulously at the three formerly frightened, determined kids.

Slowly, he let the mist drift away. All three genin looked contemplatively at the obviously dead Kakashi. For one, his eyes were glazed over. Second…he was kind of cut in half. Suddenly, Sakura went to the upper half, and with a slightly gooey sound, grabbed hold of Kakashi's sharinghan.

"…Sasuke? Can I get this?" She asked, almost giddily. Sasuke shrugged. "Sure. Naruto got the fox either way." He said. Naruto huffed. "It would be cool with a sharinghan too, you know!" He complained, and then turned to the two dumbfounded missing ninja.

"Gato's coming. And by the sounds, he gathered up some people…" He informed them with a sage-like nod. Zabuza blinked. "Well…he's probably here to kill everyone…so the deal's over. Wake up the old man and get lost." He grumbled.

Naruto pouted. "But I want to have fun too! Do you have ANY IDEA what it is like to have a crazy demon fox in your head, constantly demanding that you kill?" he demanded. Haku and Zabuza looked incredulously. "What happened to your I'm a ninja, fear my stupidity thing?" Zabuza demanded.

Naruto blinked innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about." he smiled. Zabuza just shook his head and grabbed his sword, looking at the small army of mercenaries and Gato that just arrived.

"Well, well. Looks like you aren't completely useless after all. Unfortunately-!" Gato made a choking sound, and grabbing movements towards his neck. The same neck that was currently stabbed trough with a kunai. "Oops, sorry! My hand slipped!" Sakura called.

Gato dropped.

The mercenaries shifted. Then one of the braver ones yelled. "They killed our money!" He yelled. The ninjas looked weirdly at him. "How do you kill money?" Sasuke wondered.

The thugs obviously didn't care about his question, considering the fact that they charged. Until the first mercenaries were slain by a flying, spinning sword. The sword somehow span back into Zabuza's hand, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you want to live, you have to fight." He dismissed the three genin. They grinned. Sasuke got a pair of gloves from his shorts, and put them on. Haku watched in interest, seeing almost invisible wires extending from the gloves.

Sasuke leapt up in the air and spun around, hands tracing some sort of pattern. Both Zabuza and Haku looked at him with slight respect when ten thugs suddenly fell apart in a shower of gore.

Sakura bashed her fists together, and then punched the air, towards the thugs. They were blasted away, by two blue-glowing chakra-fists. Sakura grinned. "Shannaro! That's what you get, suckers!" She shouted.

Naruto laughed crazily. "Awesome! Me too!" He yelled, and Haku and Zabuza were left gaping as two gigantic red chakra-claws ripped apart the rest of the thugs.

"Um…we're late, aren't we?" A hesitant voice asked. They turned to see Inari without his usual hat. And a whole crowd of villagers. "…Yup! Good news is: Your grandpa is alive, though knocked out, Gato is dead, the thugs are dead, and Zabuza and Haku are on our side. Bad news: Kakashi died." Naruto shrugged.

Inari looked at the dead silver-head. "…I didn't like him anyway." He decided. Naruto laughed. "Course not! But now he's dead, so it doesn't matter…Hey, where do you think you're going?" He pointed accusingly at the pair of missing ninjas that tried to sneak away.

Haku sighed. "With what have happened, hunter-ninja are likely to be on our tracks soon. We have to leave." He explained sadly. Naruto blinked. "Oh. Okay. Sasuke! Sakura! We're leaving." He yelled. They both nodded without a word.

Zabuza blinked. "Hey now, what-!" He exclaimed. Naruto shrugged. "You killed our sensei, and you're cool, thus, you're our new sensei, whether you like it or not!" He explained with a grin. Zabuza gaped. Inari and Tazuna came up to them, Tazuna with quite the amount of money in his hands.

"You're obviously leaving. Here, take this. And brat? You won the bet. So the bridge will be named The Great Team Crazy Bridge." He pouted. Naruto stuck out his tongue. "Of course I won! And it's an awesome name! You'd probably call it The Super Awesome Bridge Made By The Super Awesome Tazuna. And that just ain't no good!"

Zabuza and Haku were slowly inching away from the blonde. "Oh no you don't." Sasuke smirked as the two were wrapped up in his strange wire-gloves. Zabuza slumped. "Damn." He cursed.

XXX

Zabuza grumbled as all five of them left Tazuna's house, though Haku was actually quite happy. He was chatting with Naruto about fighting styles, and their life-stories. Sasuke was walking in silence, occasionally doing some tricks with his wires, making strange shapes and cutting stuff.

Sakura was contemplating new clothes.

Zabuza had to say though, that it wasn't too bad. It did become somewhat lonely with only him and Haku, and three extra sets of skills were quite useful.

XXX

"So…where are we going, exactly?" Naruto questioned curiously. Zabuza grunted. "Hideout. It's hidden by a genjutsu just behind those trees over there." He explained. Sasuke activated his new sharinghan, and peered trough the trees. "…Cool." He merely nodded with a smirk.

Naruto grinned and bounced over the trees. "Kai!" He clapped his hands together and the genjutsu melted away to show a gray mansion with a hot spring in the back. "Wow! Awesome!" He cheered. Sakura grinned slyly. "Dibs on the hot spring!" She claimed.

Zabuza sighed. "Dump your stuff inside. Before you run around creating trouble, there are some rules." He said strictly. They obediently did as told. "Hmph.

First rule. Don't attract unnecessary attention.

Second rule. You are not to leave without my permission.

Third rule. Don't show this place to anyone.

Fourth rule. You WILL LISTEN to me. I am the boss, got it?"

Zabuza narrowed his eyes at them. They nodded. "Got it! Um, could Sakura and me get some other clothes? These ones suck." Naruto pointed at his orange tracksuit. Zabuza raised an eyebrow.

"Suit yourself. There are some clothes in one of the drawers." He shrugged, and went to get some food.

Naruto and Sakura hurried to get some other clothes, while Sasuke took off his gloves and put them in his pocket again. Haku looked curiously at him. "What are those, Sasuke?" He wondered. Sasuke shrugged. "Naruto designed them to me. Special ninja wires, crafted with extremely small seals all along them. They're connected to the gloves via seals, and with a small amount of chakra, I control the sharpness, length, and movement." He explained.

Haku looked fascinated. "I see. Tell me, why is it that you all changed when your sensei died?" He asked. Sasuke chuckled. "True personalities and whatnot. Kakashi was caught in the past, and the first time we met him was actually in the park when we were younger. He attacked Naruto for being a jinchuuriki, and acted as if I was a prince. When we heard he was our sensei, we decided to act like we did, if only to not make him attack Naruto again." He said.

Haku frowned. "At first, he seemed like a good man, if a little too confident." he sighed. Sasuke nodded. "Yeah. But he wasn't good in the head. We haven't liked Konoha for a long time either, so when he finally died, we were actually kind of relieved." he shrugged.

"Ah. Well, I can only hope you will be satisfied with your life now. We might not have a lot of money, but I am quite happy. And Zabuza is too, despite how he acts." Haku smiled. Sasuke frowned. "You look too much like a girl. Seriously. Are you sure you're a boy?" He teased.

Haku huffed. "No comment."

XXX

Naruto and Sakura found some better clothes.

Sakura had a black halter neck top with silver glitter on. She also had black, cut-up leggings with dark red shorts over. Her shoes were dark red stiletto with straps in front. Her hair was cut shorter, and put up in a ponytail, with her bangs being brushed to one side.

"I have to get some hair dye." She decided, seeing that her hair and clothes didn't fit perfectly. Naruto grinned. "Sure. I think you would look good with dark red hair!" He complimented. Sakura nodded. "Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself." She commented.

Naruto had a crimson wife beater with black markings like letters, only in a graffiti-like way. He also had loose black pants, with crimson markings on the left lower leg. His shoes were more or less only soles, with straps up to right under his knees. His hair was as it used to be, except it was let down in his face as he had his slashed Konoha forehead protector around his neck.

"I know. Much better, right?" He chuckled. They went out to the kitchen, and raised their eyebrows when Sasuke's eyes widened. "Wow. I wouldn't call that change…I'd call it a complete makeover! Any clothes left?" He wondered.

Naruto nodded. "Yup. Wanting something else you too?" He grinned, before going to make himself a sandwich. Sakura looked at Haku. "I look better now, right?" She asked. The feminine boy nodded. "Very. It's kind of a cool and deadly style." He praised.

XXX

Sasuke came out with a smirk. "What do you think?" He asked. His two teammates looked him over.

He had a white shirt with some armor on the shoulders and arms, tied together with a simple gray rope. Under the shirt, he had a blue shirt, and armguards. He also had dark blue pants and grayish-black shoes that looked as if they had been braided. His hair was the same, though slightly more unruly, and his forehead protector was gone.

Sakura and Naruto gave a thumbs up. "Nice. Now…Zabuzaaaa! Can't you train us?" He shouted. The annoyed man twitched from where he was relaxing in a couch.

"Fine, brat. I'll test you first." He grumbled.

Former team 7, now known as team Crazy gulped.

"…As long as there are no bells." Sakura nodded sagely. Zabuza and Haku looked weirdly at her.

XXX

Sandaime Hokage frowned as he read the message from Tazuna.

"_Hokage-sama. I'm sorry to say that your jounin, Hatake Kakashi died in an encounter with a man calling himself Demon of the mist. After all of Wave's troubles were gone, the rest of the ninja team was gone. I wonder if they tried to confront the Demon and his helper. _

_Either way, none will return back to Konoha, I'm afraid. I will try to find out what happened to them, but don't expect big results. Extra mission pay is in the envelope._

_Tazuna, bridge builder of Wave."_

"Dead? I knew this day would come…but why now! And then there is the matter with the disappearance of team 7…" He muttered. He sighed, and got a paper sheet from his drawer. "Team 7… gone MIA. Jounin sensei: dead." He wrote.

"Oh, Naruto-kun. I do hope you are alive still."

XXX

"Well, I suppose you aren't too bad. You still need training though. You ever thought of getting some weapons?" Zabuza asked. Naruto panted slightly. "Maybe. I already made those gloves for Sasuke, so he's got weapons…but me and Sakura don't have any, because I didn't have time, or materials." He explained.

Zabuza nodded thoughtfully. "Hm, I think maybe a zanbato or a scythe for the pink brat. You could get a naginata, sword, or something else that goes with your flexibility." He said. Naruto's eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh, I do have one weapon though!" He said, and quickly put his hand in his weapon pouch.

Zabuza and Haku looked weirdly at him when there was a lot of clanging noises, and even weirder when he fished up a crimson and black yo-yo.

"This one! The wire is the same that Sasuke has, and with a small burst of chakra, I can extend some spikes!" Naruto grinned and proceeded to show off against a poor tree, wrapping it with the wire and letting out the spikes.

Team Crazy watched in satisfaction as Zabuza and Haku's jaws met the ground.

XXX

Sakura looked curiously at the small board with lots of buttons and a mini-keyboard. "What's this?" She asked. Zabuza raised an eyebrow. "I have no idea. Figure it out, brat." He sighed. Sakura blew a raspberry behind his back, and made a thinking pose.

"What'cha doing, Sakura?" Naruto wondered. Sakura looked at him. "Trying to figure out what this is." She pointed at the board. Naruto frowned. "Try taking the headphones on, and what about, I don't know, moving the buttons?" He suggested.

Sakura shrugged, and put on the headphones. "Hey, these are kind of comfortable!" She exclaimed, before pushing one button down, and turning another one. She started. "Wow, this thing makes music! Or rather, rhythm…" She drifted off and pushed some others, making some more noise.

"Naruto, listen!" She gave him the headphones, and he took them on. "Oh, nice!" He grinned. Sakura grinned too. "Yeah! Those are mine from now on! I'll figure them out…" She got the headphones back and began to experiment.

Naruto chuckled and left the room, to find Sasuke.

XXX

"She found a music-box-thing?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Naruto nodded. "Yep. Best not to bother her, she's quite concentrated…anyway, how's it going with the gloves? You mentioned you wanted some fingerless ones…?" He brushed his hand trough his hair.

Sasuke nodded. "Can you fix that without ruining the seals?" He wondered. Naruto scoffed. "Course I can. Give them to me, and I'll have them fixed in no time…Hey Haku! Do you want me to make a weapon for you too?" He asked.

Haku looked slightly surprised, but smiled and nodded. "That would be nice. What about a senbon launcher? I know there are already one, but it's very expensive, and somewhat faulty." He explained. Naruto nodded. "Will do!" He grinned and went inside, leaving the two dark-haired boys outside.

"Naruto certainly wants to help everyone." Haku smiled. Sasuke chuckled. "Yeah, that's just how he is. I bet I would have been exactly like my mask if not for him." He said seriously. Haku nodded. "I would believe that…he's like sunshine, that Naruto." He muttered.

XXX

Zabuza sighed to himself as he looked around. The pink brat was bobbing her head to some rhythm she was making with the strange board, the dark-haired brats were talking, and the blonde brat was doing something with the Uchiha brat's gloves, and something else.

"Why the hell did I allow them to come anyway? I just know something will happen…and I won't like it." He shook his head.

XXX

"…What will our friends say when we won't come back from the mission?" Sakura questioned, having taken a break in the music making. Sasuke shrugged. "Our REAL friends know we wanted to travel around a bit…they won't worry too much. The others…I couldn't care less."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "You don't care about much, anyway. And yeah, you're right." She nodded. Sasuke smirked and was about to say something when he had to dodge a pair of fingerless gloves. "Done! I also put on an extra seal, so they won't get destroyed. They regenerate, kind of." Naruto grinned.

Sasuke huffed and put the gloves on, smirking. "Nice. They're even more comfortable than before. Did you do something to the inside?" He asked. Naruto shrugged. "A thin layer of wool. It's too thin to be of any protection, but it makes them softer." He explained.

Sasuke nodded. "Ah, Naruto? Are you done with the senbon launcher yet?" Haku asked, coming from another room. Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Here you go." He said, and gave the older boy an object. It looked like a wristband, though slightly thicker and longer, and strapped on with leather straps.

On the top, there was an ice-blue seal, and inside it was the kanji for 10. "See, the kanji tells how many senbon are in the seal. With a slight burst of chakra, you can release the senbon, and they will go in the direction you push your chakra. On the 10 senbon you have inside, I have engraved a nifty little seal. It's a chakra suppression seal. So if you hit the enemy with one of those, they'll lose their chakra for up to 20 seconds. No longer, though." Naruto explained.

Haku looked awed. "Naruto…just how good are you at this?" He wondered. Naruto shrugged. "Eh, good enough. I've read a lot of books. And trained a lot." He added. Haku still looked awed. Naruto smirked. "Try shooting a senbon at Sasuke." He suggested.

Haku immediately flung his arm towards Sasuke and with a burst of chakra, sent two senbon flying. Sasuke yelped and dodged the first one, but was hit by the other. "Wah! Chakra…gone! That's…uncomfortable." He whined. The others laughed, and Haku got his senbon back. "It seems I must control the strength of the chakra to get as many that I wish…?" He nodded to himself.

Naruto grinned. "Yep. You have great reflexes and natural talent, but you should train…"

From the kitchen, Zabuza rolled his eyes at Haku's giddiness.

XXX

"Listen brats. You go train, while Haku and I go around looking for job offers. Do NOT go outside the genjutsu. Got it?" Zabuza glared. Team Crazy nodded. "Got it! Train inside the genjutsu." They all said in perfect synchronization.

Zabuza sighed and they left, Haku with a smile and a wave to his friends.

XXX

**Mm? So? What do you mean about it? Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I got a review, someone liked my story idea! ^.^ That made me happy, so I updated with another chapter. 3 I'll have to focus on my other fics at my other account now though. **

**Oh, and if anyone got any ideas for names for this fic, please do tell me.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto, duh. I won't write this anymore either.**

"Pack up brats, we're leaving." Zabuza commanded.

Team Crazy blinked. "Why? You finally found a job?" Sasuke asked. Zabuza twitched. "What do you mean _finally_? I'll have you know we found lots of jobs…just denied them." He grumbled. Naruto looked at Haku. "Truth?" He asked. Haku smiled, amused. "Lie." He chuckled.

Sakura grinned. "Just watch out, or I'll mash you up with my new sound system…or my sharinghan." She pointed at her right eye, where she had gotten Haku to implant Kakashi's sharinghan. Zabuza looked away. "Your eyes are damn creepy, being red and green…" He mumbled.

Sakura giggled, while Sasuke smirked. Naruto rolled his eyes with a grin. "Well, you still didn't answer my question." He reminded the dark-haired man. Zabuza sighed. "Suna have been looking for ninja to recruit lately. Probably some big-ass operation, but it means more money." He explained.

Naruto nodded with a thoughtful look. "Well, I've always wanted to travel to the desert…and some of the materials to my upgrades and tools are only found there. Let's go!" He yelled. Sakura pouted. "I'll miss the hot spring." She claimed.

Sasuke smirked. "Either you were there, or training, or experimenting with music. Poor you, I don't think there are too many hot springs in Suna…" He chuckled. Sakura huffed, and took on her headphones and turned some buttons on her now transportable board.

Naruto had fixed it for her, so now it was parted in two and just small enough to hang on her hips. She even had a small speaker, and with some chakra could make damaging sound waves. Naruto had spoken to her about it, and she had thought it out, together with the blonde.

All three quickly packed their stuff, which wasn't much, and went out to where Zabuza and Haku were waiting.

XXX

Zabuza twitched, as he had to duck Naruto's yo-yo again. "Will you quit trying to skewer me with that thing!" He growled. Naruto smiled innocently. "I'm not trying to skewer anyone…I'm just bored." He complained. Zabuza growled again. "Well, do something else! Like the pink brat!" He grumbled.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You can't really call her pink brat, considering the fact that her hair is dark red." He commented. "I don't care. It was pink before, red-eye brat." Zabuza said. Sasuke twitched. "Do you want me to use you as target practice?" He threatened.

Zabuza twitched. "Haku! We're moving faster!" He yelled, and set up the speed. Sasuke and Naruto smirked, while Sakura was bobbing her head to some rhythm.

XXX

Sakura looked at Sasuke while she turned some buttons and pushed some others. '…This kind of fits him. At least I think so!' She thought with a grin. Sasuke noticed, and raised an eyebrow. "What are you thinking about?" He asked. Sakura blinked. "I'm making a theme for you! Listen!" She said, and gave him the headphones.

Sasuke blinked. There were some dark sounds, lighter, and some faint melody with a lighter, metallic-like noise. (So Damn Hot by HtheB, you can find it on Spotify) He looked weirdly at Sakura. "You think this should be my theme? That's kind of…weird. Seriously." He said. Sakura grinned. "Exactly! It fits, because you're dangerous, somewhat hot and cool!" She exclaimed.

Sasuke chuckled and gave her the headphones back. Naruto ran over to them. "What would be a theme for me, Sakura?" He asked with a grin. Sakura hm-ed and turned some more buttons. "Ah, that's it!" She said, and handed over the headphones.

Naruto nodded his head with the beat. It was much lighter than Sasuke's, with a fast melody. (Dance to the rhythm, also by HtheB) "Heh, why do you think this fits me?" He asked. Sakura shrugged. "You're easy-going, somewhat crazy, and almost always happy!" She explained.

"Nice. Make one for Zabuza!" Naruto suggested. Sakura grinned, and began customizing the noise again. Naruto blinked. "That…sounds a lot like some final boss theme." He said. Sakura nodded. "It should. Zabuza was like the final boss in the wave mission, right?" She said.

Sasuke stifled his laughter as Zabuza came to check on them. "Hurry up, you lot." He said in his normal, gruff voice. Sakura got her headphones back, and quickly began turning the buttons again as they saw sand dunes beginning to lie in the forest.

She plugged in the speaker, and Zabuza started as music began to play. "Holy hell! Don't do that!" He growled. Sakura grinned. "Why not? It fits! I call this one…Desert storm!" She declared, turning the volume higher. Zabuza sighed, and continued onwards. Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura gave each other a high five, Haku watching them with a smile.

XXX

A couple of days later, the guards at Suna's gate frowned as they looked out over the desert. "Mate, is it just me, or is someone playing music out in the desert?" One of them asked. The other blinked. "…Someone is playing music out in the desert. I think I've heard that one before too! Isn't it Blue da ba dee from that album…the seven swordsmen of the mist?" He said.

The first listened, and nodded. "You're right…why the hell is someone playing Blue in an endless sea of sandy brown?" He asked incredulously. The other sighed. "I'll go get Baki."

XXX

A man with his face half hidden by a white cloth stood in front of the gates together with three teens. The music was coming closer, and soon they could see a red-haired girl bobbing her head to the music, carrying some strange boards at her hips. Four others were with her, a dancing blonde, a laughing, black-haired boy, and a smiling girl…no wait, boy? And a tall man with his face hidden by bandages.

The youngest of the three teens, a redhead, looked up with a start, eyes zoning in on the blonde. The two others wisely held their distance.

"Halt strangers! What is your business in Suna?" The man, Baki, demanded. Zabuza raised an eyebrow. "We heard Suna was recruiting. I wanted to leave those crazies where they came from, but they continue following me!" He glared at Team Crazy, who grinned at him.

Sakura turned off her music with an off-button. "Hi. I'm Sakura, that's Naruto and Sasuke. That BOY is Haku. I know he looks like a girl." She pointed at each of them. The blonde teen behind Baki blinked. "Are you a kunoichi?" She asked.

Sakura nodded. "Yup. I didn't take my forehead protector with me though, which was kind of stupid, because I don't have anything to hide my eye with." She pointed at her right eye that was currently closed. The blonde girl raised an eyebrow.

"Why would you need to hide it?" She wondered. Sakura opened it, and the blonde started at seeing a red eye with three commas in it. It looked really misplaced with her other green eye.

Sasuke meanwhile was staring at the middle teen, wearing all black. "…Why are you wearing a black bodysuit in the desert? I thought black absorbed sun…" He remarked. The boy scoffed. "This suit is specially made of a light material and isn't warm at all." He said.

Sasuke nodded. "I see…that's quite useful, living out here. What's it like? I've never even been to the desert before…" He said calmly. The black-clad boy shrugged. "It's warm. And cold at night. Your name was Sasuke, right? I'm Kankuro." He said.

"Hn. Nice to meet you. That package on your back, what is it? A weapon of some sort?" Sasuke wondered curiously. Kankuro nodded. "A puppet. I use puppets in my fighting style. You got any interesting weapons?" He asked. Sasuke shrugged. "I suppose." He said, and pulled on his gloves.

Kankuro narrowed his eyes at seeing the thin ninja wires extending from each glove. "What are those?" He asked. Sasuke smirked and with a few moves, Kankuro was ensnared in his wires. The older boy looked surprised. "Whoa…that's useful. It's a lot like my chakra strings actually." He admitted. Sasuke nodded, and released him.

Naruto was having a stare-down with the youngest of the three, the redhead. "Why…why is mother silent?" He finally asked. Naruto blinked. "Mother... I have no idea who you're referring to." He said. The redhead snarled, and the sand suddenly moved, rushing towards Naruto, who didn't look the least surprised.

"Ah…the spirit of the sands reside within you, am I right?" Naruto concluded. The boy gritted his teeth and sent more sand at the blonde, who didn't move, except for flinging his yo-yo.

The boy looked shocked when the once solid sand was slashed into pieces, before trying to gather it again. Naruto rolled his eyes. "Listen, I couldn't care less whether you try to kill me or not. I'm used to it, from those goddamn villagers…" He muttered. The boy stopped attacking.

"You were attacked by villagers?" He asked. Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Annoying, really. They burned down my apartment. A couple of times too." He sounded annoyed. The redhead blinked. "Why? Are you like me?" He wondered. Naruto shrugged. "If what I've seen so far is true. You're a jinchuuriki, right? I am too." He revealed.

All of the sand people's eyes widened at that piece of information. They had all turned towards Naruto and the redhead, the sand team exasperated, as if waiting for the redhead to try and kill someone. Zabuza sagged. "Can we have your attention now? Those goddamn brats keep taking all the attention away!" He grumbled. Haku patted him on the back. "Now, now, Zabuza. It'll be okay." He consoled.

Team Crazy chuckled. Baki blinked and sighed. "I suppose we can take you to meet Kazekage-sama." He allowed. Team Crazy gave each other and Haku high-fives, the sand team looked thoughtful and Zabuza just palmed his face.

XXX

"You wish to be a part of Suna's forces?" A man clad in white and blue robes questioned. Zabuza nodded. "Indeed." He replied. "…What do you have to offer?" The Kazekage demanded. Zabuza shrugged. "I'm one of the seven swordsmen, my apprentice have a bloodline ability, and those brats are brilliant enough." He said.

The Kazekage narrowed his eyes. "Brilliant enough…?"

Naruto stepped forward. "If that's what he says. I've got limited knowledge of sealing, a whole load of chakra and apparently crazy, but working, ideas." He smirked. Sasuke snickered. "Limited? Don't fool yourself. I'm an Uchiha. I've got special tools, made by Naruto and some heavy fire style jutsus." He said. The Kazekage's eyes widened.

Sakura blinked cutely. "I mostly use my super strength and music to fight. Nothing special with me, really. Oh! I do have one sharinghan eye." She said, and opened said eye. The Kazekage gaped, though it was not seen under the cloth hiding his face.

Zabuza grinned. "So, what do you say? I think it's a pretty good deal…if not, we could always go to Konoha…Iwa…" He drifted off. The Kazekage paled. "No, it's a brilliant deal. What ranks would you put yourself on?" He asked quickly.

Zabuza shrugged. "Jonin. I'd say Haku should be a chunin. The brats…genin team, though they are stronger." He said. The Kazekage nodded and wrote something down. "You are as of now all shinobi of Sunagakure. I recommend changing your clothes to some more fit for the desert."

XXX

"Could you customize some clothes to look like this? Yeah? Thanks. I'll come by later and pick them up and pay!" Naruto waved as he stepped out of a clothing shop. Outside, it was getting dark, but Naruto didn't care much, preferring the cool winds rather than the harsh sun in the middle of the day.

He looked up on the roofs, and blinked. Sitting up at a roof was the redhead. The blonde shrugged and leapt onto the roof, walked over to him and sat down. The other boy seemed surprised.

"Why are you so close to me? You'll get hurt." He stated. Naruto shrugged. "If I get hurt, I get hurt. I heal quickly either way. Look." He said, drew out a kunai and cut his wrist. The redhead frowned as the wound seemingly knitted itself together and closed with a hiss.

"You see? Not much is fatal to me. Comes with having a strong monster sealed into one. Hey, what's your name, by the way? I'm Naruto. Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto." He said with a smile. The redhead blinked. "I'm Sabaku no Gaara…Namikaze…wasn't that the Yondaime Hokage's name?" He wondered.

Naruto nodded. "Indeed it is. He's my father. Though no one are supposed to know that, not even me." He grumbled. Gaara tilted his head. "Are you from Konoha then?" He asked. Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I am. But I sure as hell got tired of those hypocritical fools."

Gaara nodded. "People here…they fear me. But they still hate me. But I have to kill, to continue to exist! I will not cease to exist…" He muttered. Naruto frowned. "Kill to be acknowledged…that's dark. I used to hate them back at Konoha too, and then one day I decided; Screw them! And made a mask, acting like a happy-go-lucky fool. But there is one thing I will always follow."

"What…?"

"True power comes from protecting your precious ones." Naruto said solemnly. Gaara narrowed his eyes. "True power comes from caring only for yourself." He argued. Naruto shook his head. "No, it does not. If your precious persons are in danger…a sense of invincible-ness falls upon you, and you can fight much harder than normal." He explained.

Gaara shook his head, and was about to say something when he heard someone else coming. "Naruto! There you are! I made some new music, and I need someone to sing to it!" Sakura's voice came as the red-haired girl came onto the roof.

Naruto grinned. "Well, let's listen then! Oh, this is Gaara. He's kind of like me, but on the opposite side of the scale, so to speak." He explained. Gaara blinked as Sakura smiled at him. "I can certainly see that. I'm Sakura. Nice to meet you! Now listen." She commanded, and plugged in the speaker with a rather low volume.

Naruto nodded his head to the music. "…It sounds different. You customized it with those instructions I gave you?" He asked. Sakura nodded happily. Gaara listened to the music with interest. "Sing…you said?" He wondered. Sakura nodded. "Yeah! I even made some text! Here, why don't you try?" She suggested and gave him a paper sheet.

Gaara blinked. "…Moonshine…on the bayou…love shrine…break the taboo…I wanna know…what's in your potion…down by… total devotion…" He said it more than sang, but Sakura beamed. "You have an awesome voice!" She complimented.

Gaara tilted his head. "Thank you." He said. Sakura grinned.

Not too close, on another roof, Kankuro and the blonde girl sat and looked on in shock. "Gaara is actually…friendly?" Kankuro muttered. The blonde nodded. "Yeah…that Naruto boy…he is like Gaara, but he's so different!" She exclaimed silently.

Kankuro nodded. "Very different. But, this may be a good thing, right? Maybe we can get closer to Gaara too…" He drifted off. The girl nodded again. "I sure hope so…"

"Why are you spying on teammates?"

XXX

After Sasuke had scared Kankuro and the blonde half to death, the three of them had gone down from the roofs to get something to eat. Sasuke had been snickering the entire time.

"Really, you are supposed to notice me when I'm not even sneaking." He stated. Kankuro huffed. "Well, we were kind of busy." He complained. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Busy with spying?" He asked. The blonde shrugged.

"We're worried for Gaara. He's our little brother. I'm Temari, by the way." She said. Sasuke nodded. "You're all siblings? That's unusual." He remarked. Kankuro shrugged. "No one else dared be on a team with Gaara. He can be extremely unstable, but Naruto seems to calm him down." He said.

Sasuke nodded thoughtfully. "I believe that might be because they're similar, and Naruto's bijuu is quite calm, when not demanding that he kill people." He said. Temari blinked. "It does?" She wondered. Sasuke nodded. "Not on the level of Shukaku, no, but it is a bloodthirsty creature. Kept wanting to kill the villagers of Konoha." He shrugged.

Kankuro and Temari blinked. "You're from Konoha?" They asked. Sasuke deadpanned. "Yeah. I'm an Uchiha. We kind of defected when our sensei got killed though. It's a hellhole. Too many hypocritical people." He rolled his eyes.

"Oh…wait, the only demon in Konoha was the…Kyuubi who attacked!" Temari exclaimed. Sasuke nodded. "Yup. Naruto is the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. I don't think he minds though." He shrugged. Kankuro raised an eyebrow. "What kind of abilities does he get from it? Gaara has his sand control from the Shukaku…" He explained.

Sasuke frowned. "Well, so far, he's got near instant regeneration, a whole lot of chakra, and the bijuu cloak. We mean he should get more, so we're going to talk to the Kyuubi one of these days." They looked shocked. "Talk to the beast? How will you do that?" They wondered.

Sasuke shrugged. "With my sharinghan, I can enter people's mindscapes. Kyuubi is in there somewhere. I could enter yours…" He offered with a sly smirk. Kankuro shook his head. "No thanks. I wouldn't want you to mess with me. I need that mind and chakra control." He said.

Sasuke blinked. "Yeah, you said something about chakra strings? How do they work?" He wondered. Kankuro grinned and wiggled his fingers. Temari moved. "Ah, hey, cut that out!" She yelled. Kankuro pushed some more chakra into the chakra strings, so Sasuke and Temari could clearly see them.

"I attach the chakra strings to a puppet, or as I just showed, a human, and use different gestures to guide them into moving." The black-clad boy explained. Sasuke nodded thoughtfully. "That is quite useful. It is a Suna skill, no?" He wondered. Kankuro nodded. "Yep. It's one of the most used tools, but I'm a prodigy at them." He added a little proudly.

Sasuke smirked. "I'm called a prodigy too, but for far different reasons. What about you, Temari?" He asked. The older girl hefted a black rectangle-formed thing from her back. "I'm not a prodigy, but I'm one of the best at wind manipulation with this." She flicked it, and it opened to reveal a large fan with three purple dots on.

Sasuke examined it intently. "That's cool. It has a specially made metal frame, and thin, chakra infused metal instead of paper." He said. Temari looked surprised. "You figured that out with one glance? You're good." She praised him.

The Uchiha shrugged. "I'm very interested in weapons. And that is a nice piece of handiwork. You know, Naruto is wind-natured too. He doesn't know very many wind jutsu, but he is able to infuse his chakra into weapons. Maybe you could even get him to take a look at your fan. He's quite skilled. Made my gloves and Sakura's DJ board." He explained.

Temari blinked. "DJ board?" She asked blankly. Sasuke nodded. "Disc Jockey. Naruto made it up. She found it at Zabuza's hideout, and Naruto modified it for easier use." He explained. Temari looked intrigued. "He's kind of amazing." She admitted.

Sasuke chuckled. "Indeed. Comes with the blood, I bet. He's an Uzumaki, AND the son of the Yondaime Hokage. Both known for their great skills with sealing." He revealed. Both Suna genin looked shocked. "Wow. I didn't know the Yondaime Hokage had a son." Kankuro gaped. Sasuke shook his head. "No one is supposed to know." He said.

"…Which makes me wonder why you tell everyone." Naruto said as he suddenly appeared besides the dark-haired boy. Sasuke didn't even bat an eye. "I only told them. You're becoming friends with Gaara, why can't I become friends with them?" He chuckled. Naruto shook his head. "Doesn't mean you need to tell them all about me." He laughed, and punched Sasuke weakly in the shoulder.

XXX

"Why are you all acting like you've known each other for weeks?" Zabuza asked suspiciously. Team Crazy and Team Sand Siblings blinked innocently. Well, as innocently as Gaara could anyway.

"We bonded during the evening?" Sakura offered. Temari nodded. "Absolutely. We did not go to the nearby club. Not at all." She lied fakely. Baki looked at his team with a raised eyebrow. "You went to the club?" He asked incredulously.

Gaara glared at his jonin instructor. "Why do you care? Old enough to kill, old enough to drink…its quite amusing seeing Kankuro act like an old lady." He nodded his head. Baki blinked. "Did Gaara just…act almost normally?" He wondered. The genin all nodded. "Oh yes, we'll get Gaara normal in no time!" Naruto exclaimed, patting the redhead on the shoulder.

Baki's eyes widened when Gaara's sand didn't react to the touch.

Zabuza grumbled. "Attention stealers…anyway, weren't we supposed to go out on a joint mission? Let's go already." He said. Baki blinked, and nodded. "Okay team, let's head out!"

XXX

**And by the way, Sasuke's clothes are like his from the Naruto shippuden; ryujinki game. Naruto have pants and sandals like Suigetsu from the same game. **

**Please Review! ^.^**


	3. Chapter 3

**And another chapter of Story idea 1 is out! ^.^ I only used yesterday evening and a couple of hours today to finish it. Words just flowed, you know? Hope you like.**

Story idea 1

Chapter 3

Zabuza glared at a bandit, who was frightened for his life. "Where is your boss?" He demanded. The bandit quickly pointed towards a big tent in the middle of the half-demolished bandit camp.

"Thank you." Zabuza grinned and cut the bandit in two with his Kubikiri Houcho.

"Zabuza? Duck." A humorous voice chuckled, and Zabuza quickly ducked, as not to be skewered by Naruto's yo-yo. The yo-yo tore right trough the neck of a bandit coming up behind the larger man. Zabuza huffed. "Can't you fight with something else than the toy, brat?" He asked.

Naruto made a show out of thinking. "Hm…no." He stuck out his tongue towards Zabuza. "I'm afraid I don't have super cool sand like Gaara." The blonde pointed at the redhead some ways away, crushing multiple opponents with a simple fisting of his hand.

"…Whatever, let's go." Zabuza grumbled and headed towards the main tent. Naruto chuckled and followed. They arrived to see a bandit with better clothes than the other bandits. He was currently trying to dodge Temari's windblasts, and Sasuke's fireballs.

His dodging wasn't very good.

Naruto looked at the half-burned man with a frown. "You should've suffered more, but we really don't have time." He said, and with a quick flick of his wrist, his yo-yo span out with spikes, burying itself in the man's heart.

Temari blinked. "You call that not-suffering? Looks kinda excruciating to me." She pointed out. Naruto grinned. "Of course! It's designed to be! I just said it." He shrugged. Temari shrugged too, while Zabuza sighed and grumbled about crazy brats.

XXX

"Any casualties on our part?" Sakura asked, brushing her hair out of her face. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "That's got to be a joke." He deadpanned. Sakura waved him off.

"No casualties, no." Gaara said calmly, with somewhat of a smirk. Kankuro smirked fully. "We're two elite jonin, the sand's best genin team and a crazy former-leaf team. I think it would be quite strange if we got any casualties." He chuckled.

"Eh, so you didn't poison yourself? How strange…"

"Hey!"

XXX

The two genin teams and their senseis were walking leisurely towards Suna, the big village not far away. Sakura was listening to music, Sasuke was talking with Kankuro about wires and chakra strings, and Naruto was talking with both Temari and Gaara, the latter being quiet for the most part.

"Wind is a real good offense, and defense! So we should figure out how to make it a defense, like…like Gaara's sand!" Naruto exclaimed. Gaara blinked and tilted his head. Temari nodded. "That would be pretty cool. But how do we do it? Gaara's defense is automatic. Besides, the wind would have to be spinning to do any real harm." She frowned thoughtfully.

"Well yeah, but I'll look for some seals. I have a great book about seals for every purpose, even warming a cup of instant ramen!" Naruto grinned. The other blonde and her redhead brother shook their heads with a smile and a smirk respectively.

Zabuza and Baki were talking about boring things, like economy and how troubles with money were annoying and whatnot.

"…Zabuza? Where is Haku, by the way?" Naruto suddenly asked out of the blue. Zabuza shrugged. "She got her own mission. She's gone to Konoha together with two Suna ninja." He explained. Naruto frowned. "What kind of mission?" He demanded.

Zabuza blinked. "They're on a meeting with Konoha ninja. It's about the chuunin exams coming soon." He said. The two genin teams perked up. "Chuunin exams? I sure hope you'll nominate us…" Sakura said with a sweet smile. Zabuza shuddered.

"Maybe. Err…probably. Come on, let's get back to Suna already!" He said shortly and picked up the pace. Sakura chuckled with a smirk. The other genin looked somewhat shocked.

"Hm? You heard Zabuza, right? Let's go."

XXX

"How did the mission go?" The Kazekage asked. Baki bowed. "Excellent, Kazekage-sama. There are no more bandits, and both teams have killed." He said. The Kazekage nodded. "Hm…that is good. Baki, Zabuza. I have a new mission. While your teams are in Konoha for the chuunin exams, I trust you will nominate them, I want you to find out how the place is."

"…What do you mean, Kazekage-sama?" Baki frowned. The Kazekage sighed. "Find out how the economy is, the strength of the ninja and so on." He said. Baki nodded. "We accept." He said. Zabuza scowled at the other ninja but didn't say anything.

XXX

"Pack up brats. We're leaving for Konoha tomorrow." Zabuza said gruffly as he entered the apartment he and Haku + the annoying brats lived in.

Team Crazy grinned. "Will do! It's for the chuunin exams, right? I can't wait to see everyone's faces!" Naruto exclaimed. Sakura nodded. "Especially those who didn't know us." She smirked. Sasuke shrugged. "It'll be good to meet our friends too, yah?" He said.

"Calm down already! Yes, we're going to Konoha for the chuunin exams. Now quit jumping around like schoolgirls on your first dates and do something productive." Zabuza huffed. Team Crazy blinked.

"Okay. Let's go to Gaara's place!" Naruto suggested, and jumped out the window, not caring that he smashed right trough the just fixed glass.

"Yep." Sasuke nodded and jumped out too, while Sakura shrugged and just walked out, her trusty DJ board at its usual place.

"Hmph. Why did it have to be me? WHY?" Zabuza fake-cried as he looked at the bits of glass around the once again destroyed window.

XXX

"Hey Gaara!" Naruto yelled, startling the meditating redhead. "…Naruto. What is it?" He asked. Naruto climbed in his window, allowing his two teammates to come in as well.

"We're going to Konoha tomorrow! For the chuunin exams! Isn't it great?" The blonde boy grinned. Gaara blinked. "I thought you hated the place?" He wondered. Naruto shrugged. "Oh, we do. But we wanna see people's faces when they see we weren't what they thought we were." He said sagely.

Gaara nodded. "I see." He said calmly. Sakura blinked. "Will you guys be going too?" She asked. Gaara nodded. "Baki informed us not too long ago. I'm looking forward to it." He smirked. Sasuke smirked too. "Because you'll be allowed to kill in the exams? Just don't kill our friends." He warned.

Gaara nodded. "Who are your friends then?" He wondered. Naruto magically procured a slip of paper from nowhere. "These!" He grinned. Gaara took the paper and read trough.

_Hyuuga Hinata_

_Hyuuga Neji_

_Nara Shikamaru_

_Mitarashi Anko_

"Only those? And I believe that Mitarashi is a jonin, is she not?" Gaara asked. Sakura nodded. "She is a jonin, but in case you'd want to kill her. She's on the list. And yes, only those." She said.

"Very well, I won't kill them. I can kill the others?" Gaara asked, sounding hopeful. Naruto grinned. "Sure, but I think that makes it harder for you to become chuunin." He chuckled. Gaara frowned with a pout.

"Damn."

XXX

Next morning, Team Sand siblings and Team Crazy said goodbye to the Kazekage as they set out towards Konoha. Zabuza was tossing discreet glances at Baki, while the suna jonin ignored him.

After having come out of sight from the village, Zabuza turned towards Baki. The students briefly glanced at them and stopped. "Baki. I know very well why we're to get information on Konoha. We're doing an invasion, am I right?" Zabuza demanded.

Baki kept his face neutral. "Yes." He nodded. Zabuza glanced at his three students, 'when did I start calling them that?' and saw that they seemed totally unconcerned.

"You do remember that we don't care about Konoha, right?" Sakura raised an eyebrow. Zabuza shrugged. "Good." He said.

"What are our roles in the invasion?" Naruto wondered. Baki frowned. "Gaara will transform into the Shukaku in the last round. All of you are to be around him, helping and watching out for dangerous enemies." He explained.

"Hm. You do realize that is a very risky plan? If someone puts Gaara down before we have the chance to defend him? No offence Gaara, but there are some strong people there." Sasuke said with a raised eyebrow. Baki narrowed his visible eye.

"I am aware of that. But this is the plan Kazekage-sama and …Orochimaru made." Baki hesitated in saying the other name. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke scowled. "Orochimaru is just as likely to kill the Kazekage as help him. Mark my words, within a month, the Kazekage will be dead." Naruto said ominously.

Baki's eyes widened slightly, but he kept the neutral mask. "It doesn't matter. Keep going." He ordered. The two genin teams shrugged and went about walking.

"Do you really think he'll die?" Temari asked silently. Naruto nodded. "Yeah, at least if he continues dealing with Orochimaru. That man is as slippery as a snake, as sly as a fox and not to forget his intelligence. Even if he acts nice, he is dangerous." He smirked coldly.

"…Good riddance." Gaara droned. Kankuro blinked. "You know, I thought you'd say that. I don't particularly care for our old man either, but still, to be killed by Orochimaru…" The older boy grimaced. Gaara shrugged.

"Eh, let's quit acting like old people now!"

XXX

"This is 10 percent luck, 20 percent skill, 15 percent concentrated power of will, 5 percent pleasure, 15 percent pain and a 100 percent reason to remember the name!" Naruto sang with a grin as they neared the forest of Hi no kuni.

Sasuke smirked. "You're in a good mood?" He chuckled. Naruto grinned. "Of course! Ne, Gaara? You coming with us on a sightseeing round when we've checked in on the hotel?" He asked. Gaara nodded. "Why not." He said. Temari and Kankuro agreed.

"How far to Konoha from here?" Temari asked. Naruto shrugged. "I think about half a day at this tempo. And then we won't have enough time for sightseeing! Oi, Baki, Zabuza! Speed up, speed up!" The blonde boy yelled, and shot off.

Zabuza blinked, and then huffed when the two other members of Team Crazy, as well as team Sand siblings followed the whisker-faced boy.

"Fine, speed up it is." He mumbled, and dashed off, leaving Baki to put on some more speed with an annoyed look.

XXX

Team Crazy grinned as they saw the massive gates to Konoha. "Oh, I can't wait to see everyone's reactions!" Sakura smirked, touching her DJ board and the black eye patch she wore. Naruto and Sasuke nodded, and Naruto glanced at the Suna headband he wore around his neck. "Definitely." He chuckled.

Team Sand siblings smirked too, waiting for the fun to begin. Zabuza and Baki were behind the two teams, both with slight smirks themselves.

"Halt! Names and reason for visiting!" A Konoha ninja with sunglasses demanded. Baki stepped forth. "Team Suna 1 and 2, consisting of Sabaku no Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura, along with their senseis Momochi Zabuza and Baki. Participants in the upcoming exams." He said, enjoying the look of shock on the Konoha ninjas face at hearing Namikaze and Uchiha, not to forget it was the disappeared team.

"…Welcome…" The sunglasses-wearing ninja said, dazed. The genin teams passed quickly, and the two senseis followed. "You find the hotel, we'll announce our arrival to the Hokage." Baki said. Naruto nodded. "We'll find the hotel, but don't expect us to stay there. We've got peoples to confuse!"

"…Very well."

XXX

"Hey, let me go!" A small boy's voice rang out. Kankuro, who was currently holding the boy by his long, greenish scarf blinked. "Sure. But you should watch where you're going." He warned, and set the boy down. Temari smirked. "Run along, brat." She said.

The boy scowled. "I'm not a brat! I'm the Hokage's grandson!" He yelled. Temari nodded. "I figured as much, by blondie's words. But we're the Kazekage's children, so you should treat us with respect just as much as we should treat you with it."

"…Which blondie are you talking about?" The Hokage's grandson, Konohamaru, asked. A poof of smoke erupted, and a yo-yo flicked out. "Me of course! Hi, Kono!" A well-known voice laughed, and Konohamaru's eyes widened when he saw his arch-rival/boss/big brother.

"Boss!" He yelled in surprise. Naruto grinned. "Who else? Anyway, hope you've been training well! And don't mind the suna headband." He said. Konohamaru blinked. "What! But you're a konoha ninja!" He claimed. Naruto shook his head. "Not anymore! You're still my lil rival though." He assured the younger boy.

"…Well fine. Want to play ninja with me?" He asked hopefully. Naruto shrugged. "I could, but I've got to show my friends around! These are Temari, Kankuro and Gaara is up in the tree." He pointed at a tree where Gaara was upside-down.

Konohamaru's eyes widened. "Wow! Can you do that too, boss?" He asked. Naruto nodded. "Yeah, it's easy. Ask your grandfather about it. We have to go now though. Bye, Kono!" He grinned and waved. Konohamaru pouted as all four of them disappeared in clouds of smoke and sand.

XXX

"Naruto, there you are! Come, I just have to screw with Ino." Sakura dragged the blonde by his half-long locks of hair. "Ow-ow-ow-ow! I'm coming I'm coming! Let go of my hair!" He exclaimed, holding his head. Sasuke smirked. "I'll just go check at my compound. Sand siblings, you could come too." He said off-handedly.

Temari shrugged, and all three of the foreigners followed Sasuke towards the Uchiha compound. Sakura and Naruto walked towards the Yamanaka flower shop. While walking, they noticed many civilians and ninjas looking curiously at them, and then widen their eyes as they saw Naruto's now thicker whisker marks.

"Heh, think they've recognized us yet?" Naruto chuckled mockingly as he tossed his Yo-yo. Sakura smirked. "You, probably. Your whiskers didn't exactly shrink after our talk with Kyuubi. Me, almost no way." She shrugged, and adjusted the headphones on her head.

"There's Ino's shop. Oh, and what luck, she's customizing the flowers!" Naruto said. Sakura grinned. "Let's go."

XXX

Ino blinked when the door to the shop opened, and she turned around with a smile. "Hello, and welcome to the Yamanaka flowers shop! Do you need any help finding flowers?" She smiled, and let her eyes roam over the two that arrived.

The girl seemed somewhat familiar, but she couldn't place her finger on it. The boy on the other hand… "Naruto!" Ino exclaimed. Naruto chuckled. "It seems you won the bet, Sakura. She recognized me first." He said. Ino's wide eyes flew back to the girl…"Sakura too? What happened to your hair? And eye? And clothes? And where have you been? And…-!"

"…It seems you won the other bet. Damn, we zero-ed out." Sakura huffed, before raising an eyebrow mockingly at Ino. "From start to finish: Hair dye and a kunai, implanted ace, better than a dress, Wave and Suna." She said calmly.

Ino's eyes widened even more, seeing Naruto's suna headband, and Sakura having a smaller one on her wrist. "What? Suna? But you're konoha ninja!" She exclaimed. Sakura smirked. "Not anymore, we're not. Nice to see you again, piglet." She chuckled mockingly, before they both left. Ino was left frozen and gaping after them.

"…Don't call me that?"

XXX

"That was refreshing!" Sakura said as they left. Naruto chuckled. "You really didn't like her lusting for Sasuke, did you? Sasuke's big sister." He looked pointedly at her. Sakura shrugged. "As a matter of fact; no, I didn't. And so what if I feel like a sister?" She raised an eyebrow. Naruto smiled. "Heh, good thing he has a sister. I'm your brother too though, don't forget."

"I wouldn't forget that. You're our somewhat crazy seal-using little brother." Sakura grinned. Naruto grinned too. "Good! Now, while I'd love to joke around a little more, I'd rather go get some rest. I'm willing to bet a portion of knowledge about my gift from Kyuubi that we'll be called in to the Hokage." He said.

"Hm…I should know better, but I bet some knowledge about a sharinghan trick that can be used without sharinghan on that we won't be called in." Sakura bet against the blonde. He just smirked and did a shunshin to get back to the hotel.

XXX

Team Crazy was on their way to the Hokage tower, with Sakura explaining the sharinghan trick to Naruto.

"…Then you push a lot of chakra into your eye, and with the Kyuubi's chakra, you'll probably be able to slow down motions somewhat. Not to the level of sharinghan, but maybe half-way." The red-haired girl said. Naruto nodded thoughtfully.

Sasuke was making figures with the wire in his wire-gloves, not really bothering to listen, since he knew the trick, and Naruto was Naruto, even if the instructions were wrong, he'd find a way around it and make it work either way.

"What do you think the Hokage wants?" The dark-haired boy wondered. Naruto shrugged. "Ask about why we deserted, how Kakashi died…something like that?" He suggested. Sakura nodded. "Probably. Watch out for any innocent-like questions, they'll probably have some hidden meaning." She warned.

The two boys nodded, and they entered the tower.

XXX

"Ah, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke. I am truly happy that you are alive after all. But…what made you do what you did?" Sarutobi demanded. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What? Deserted this hypocritical village?" He asked. Sarutobi frowned. "…Yes. That, and follow the man that killed your sensei." He said.

"Kakashi didn't teach us anything else than tree walking, and then focused on helping Sasuke." Sakura pointed out. "And he acted like the rest of the lot." Sasuke added.

"In other words, Kakashi wasn't our sensei. And Zabuza is cool, and though he haven't taught us a lot, he ensures that we master it before going onto something else, not to forget that he watches over each an every one of us." Naruto said flatly.

"The deserting thing…well, we just about said the reason, don't you think? Oh, not to be Suna's deserter either, the Kazekage has allied with Orochimaru about an invasion. I like Suna, I don't like the numbskull leading it." The blonde continued.

Sarutobi narrowed his eyes. "And you are on it?" He demanded. All three nodded. "We're supposed to watch over Gaara. But don't worry, we won't actively attack anyone…outside of the exams, at least." Naruto said jovially. Sarutobi nodded tiredly.

"Onto other matters, Naruto. When did you find out about your heritage?" He asked. Naruto scowled. "Oh, the thing about my dad being the Yondaime Hokage? It was all in a letter in the Namikaze compound in the forest, which I accidently found when I ran away from a mob. It's sealed shut with a blood seal, so it opened when a bloodied me pushed the gate." The blonde explained coldly. Sasuke and Sakura scowled at the mentioning of the mob.

"Naruto, you have to understand. I hid your name to save you from enemies outside of Konoha." Sarutobi said. Naruto narrowed his eyes. "You should open your eyes, old man. While the enemies outside may be dangerous, the enemies inside are just as dangerous." He claimed.

Sarutobi sighed. "I understand. You having joined Suna, I can't do anything about you being our missing ninja, so I hope you have it better there. You may leave now, I need to speak with my advisors about this invasion." He said.

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't shut down the exams, it wouldn't look good for you guys."

XXX

"How did it go?" Gaara enquired when the former Konoha team arrived back at the hotel. They all shrugged. "As thought." Sakura rolled her eyes. "A waste of time, really." Sasuke agreed. "And we told the old man about the invasion." Naruto added, noting that neither Zabuza nor Baki was there.

"You did? Huh." Temari said. "Less work on our part." Kankuro shrugged. Gaara just tilted his head.

"Well, I'm beat! Time to sleep, a lot!" Naruto grinned, and raced into the bedroom. Everyone blinked.

"Eh, I'll just follow his example. By the way Gaara, Naruto made some sleeping tablets for you, that won't make the Ichibi come out. They're beside your bed." Sasuke said, and walked slowly to the bedroom.

Gaara blinked, and smiled slightly. "Hm, I might just take one. Thank you, Naruto."

"No prob! Maybe you'll look less like an insomniac!"

XXX

**So? How was this chapter? Good or bad? Do tell! ^.^**


	4. Chapter 4

**Mou, sorry to all those that want another chapter of another story, but I like this story right now... anyway, there is a poll on my profile, where you can vote for what story you want me to update first! Please vote. ^.^**

**I sure hope you know what's speaking and whatever else, hm?**

"What's your name?" Hyuuga Neji asked coldly, holding up his act of assholishness. Sasuke smirked. "Uchiha Sasuke. But isn't it customary to give your own name first? I suppose I shouldn't have expected that much from Konoha ninja."

"What? But you're a Konoha ninja! You're from the Uchiha clan!" A bun-haired girl exclaimed.

"Was. Was is the keyword, lil missy." Naruto pointed at the bun-girl with a small black and red fan. "Don't call me that." The girl hissed. Sakura chuckled. "Then say your name, so we don't have to call you that." She said. The girl scowled. "Tenten. That's Hyuuga Neji, and Rock Lee." She pointed at the two boys.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted, and got smacked in the head by Sakura. "No Uchiha language! And no sulking either, or I'll smash you through the floor." She warned. He nodded quickly.

"Let's go already! Gaara and them have already arrived!" Naruto complained. "Yeah, yeah." Sasuke said, and they made to leave and continue up the stairs when Rock Lee was in their way.

"What is your name, beautiful maiden?" He yelled. Sakura twitched. "One: Don't yell! Two: I'm Sakura. Three: If you don't move, I'll punch you through the whole academy." she growled. Lee didn't hear, and was tossing hearts at the annoyed redhead, who simply sidestepped them.

"Shannaro!" She yelled, and left the spectators stupefied as she punched Lee and he actually did go trough a couple of walls.

"Now let's go."

"Sure."

XXX

"You're back." Shikamaru drawled lazily, looking at Team Crazy. They shrugged. "Not for long. We have an idea for you to participate in, but we'll talk about that later, hm?" Naruto said silently with a grin.

"Aha, found you!" The boisterous voice of Kiba yelled out, then he stopped to stare at Team Crazy. "Wha-? You guys?" He asked uncertainly. "Yes, us guys… and girl." Naruto said sarcastically, not really liking the dog boy for his taunting when they were younger.

"What? You're Suna ninja? What the hell did you do?" Kiba yelled, and was about to continue when someone slapped him. He span around and stared incredulously at Hinata as she lowered her hand. "Shut up already. You're annoying." She said coldly, astonishing all but her true friends.

"Ah, Hinata. You're as beautiful as ever, sunshine." Naruto flirted with a charming grin. Kiba got an outraged look, while Hinata blushed slightly and smiled. "Thank you, Naruto. Kiba, sit." Kiba gaped, while Team Crazy tensed as someone came towards their little group.

"You shouldn't be so loud. It attracts attention." A gentle voice said. Team Crazy turned around as one. "Maybe that's what we aim for?" Sasuke said, and Sakura chuckled hollowly, while Naruto casually tied up the person the voice belonged to with his yo-yo.

"Now, who are you?" Naruto asked with a cruel grin. People watched their movements carefully, and some of the smarter opponents realized that Team Crazy's movements were like a predator, just waiting for a weak point to strike.

"Um, Kabuto. Yakushi Kabuto." The person gulped. "Hm." Naruto dismissed him and with a smooth move released him from the steel wire.

"I have info on the other ninja…" Kabuto tried. Kiba latched on. "What about them? And those other sand ninja!" He pointed at Gaara's team who stood by a window, watching the drama unfold. Kabuto immediately put forth a couple of cards, ignoring Kiba's outcry that they were blank, and channeled chakra into them.

"Okay, this team here is known as Team Crazy. It consists of Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and N-Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto! And their sensei is M-Momochi Zabuza!" Some people gasped, remembering just WHO the former Namikaze was. Not to forget the former member of the seven swordsmen.

"Uchiha Sasuke. His primary strength lies in ninjutsu and taijutsu. He is also skilled at using a special weapon, though I don't know what." Kabuto explained, seeming quite surprised. "Haruno Sakura. Her primary strength lies in taijutsu and sound-based jutsu. Nothing more is known, except that her strength is said to be on par with Tsunade of the Legendary Sannin!" Many people winced, having read about the female Sannin.

"Last is Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto. His primary strength lies in taijutsu and fuuinjutsu, like his father. He also always has some kind of weapon even though it may not look like one, like a yo-yo and a small fan." Kabuto finished, looking subtly at the three members of the team.

"Erm next is the other sand team. It consist of Sabaku no Gaara, Temari and Kankuro. They're the Kazekage's children, and their sensei is Baki. They're known as Team Sand siblings." He said, frowning slightly.

"Sabaku no Gaara. His primary strength is the sand he carries with him everywhere, in a gourd. I don't know anything else, except that he has come back from every mission without a scratch." Kabuto nodded.

"Sabaku no Temari. Her primary strength lies in wind manipulation, often with a big fan she carries on her back." People were slightly happy that not all of the suna ninja were extreme powerhouses.

"Sabaku no Kankuro. His primary strength is his puppets, which are apparently made by Akasuna no Sasori himself." Kabuto said, and rose to say something else, when smoke erupted from nowhere and a booming noise came.

"Welcome to the first exam! This will be a paper test. You will be handed numbers, and then put in seats! Now move it!" A tall, imposing man yelled, and everyone scurried to their place.

XXX

"Huh, we're next to each other. Luck, hm?" Naruto grinned to Hinata who shrugged. "Maybe. I'd rather be sitting beside Sasuke." She said offhandedly. Naruto made a show out of looking heartbroken. "You wound me." He said dramatically. Hinata just chuckled silently, while Kiba could be seen fuming further back in the room.

Naruto rolled his eyes as the tall man, Ibiki, told the rules of the test, and intimidated the weaker competitors. Then he carefully channeled a small amount of chakra to a seal on the back of his headband.

"_Yo. Don't jump out of your seats, kay? It's your favorite seal expert. I've put a telepathy seal on the back of your headbands. You can talk back too; I just wanted you to know. You both know the purpose of the test, hm?"_ He thought, making his two teammates tense, then relax again.

"_Don't do that! And yes, it's cheating. I hope you figured so already?" _Sakura thought back, annoyed. Sasuke replied in a somewhat similar fashion. _"Of course I know. I'm not that much of an idiot, am I? …Don't answer that." _He added, and twitched seeing Sakura and Sasuke smirk.

The exam started, and Sasuke immediately used his sharinghan to copy the motions of other genin, while keeping it hidden under a weak genjutsu. Sakura simply answered the questions, having read about a lot from before, and figuring out others. Naruto was musing over how to cheat, while occasionally glancing around. 'Two points taken for each time you're CAUGHT cheating…and out of TEN. Do I do the most clever thing and cheat without being discovered, or do I confirm my unpredictability?' He thought, and smirked.

'Unpredictability it is.' He thought, rose and walked over to one of the 'genin' that was a chunin in disguise, swapped his empty test with the one already filled out, and went back to his seat. Almost everyone was staring incredulously at him.

"Proctor! Didn't you see that? He cheated!" Kiba yelled. Ibiki nodded. "Yes, I saw. Two points off." He said calmly, resisting the urge to grin at the blonde boy's way of resolving the problem. Kiba just gaped. Hinata chuckled silently, as did Shikamaru. Neji was silent, though he had a slight smirk on his face. Sakura and Sasuke just continued, used to Naruto's unpredictable logic.

After some more time, and complaining by Kiba, it was time for the last question. Ibiki explained something, but none of Team Crazy really listened, being busy with talking about nicknames for Zabuza of all things.

"You all pass!" Ibiki's triumphant sentence made the three look up. "Oh? No question? Suits me just fine." Naruto stated, yawning. Ibiki snorted. "There was no last question. It was all abo-!" The tall man scowled as the window shattered and a large black ball flew in and unfurled to reveal a banner in front of him.

"Mitarashi Anko is here! Huh, so many? Ibiki, you're getting softer in your old age!" A purple-haired woman taunted. Ibiki peeked around the banner. "They're just better than you'd expect. Especially those brats." He pointed at Team Crazy, and Anko blinked, and then grinned.

"Crazies! You're back!" She exclaimed, and flew over to glomp Naruto. Naruto strategically…used a kawarimi with Sasuke. "Wah! Naruto, you…!" Sasuke shouted, and was then glomped by Anko. "Mou, I wanted to give Naruto a hug first…oh well, you're a good replacement." She shrugged.

Sasuke looked pleadingly at Hinata, but she was busy trying, and failing, not to laugh.

XXX

"Welcome to the forest of Death! And believe me, it's named so for a reason." Anko gestured to the large, fenced-in forest just as a resounding roar tore through it. The genin shivered. "Just one thing. Sign a waver, and then your team can go get a scroll. You all need two scrolls, a heaven and an earth one to come in. Which means that YES I did mean the thing about cutting the numbers in two."

The chunin assistants went around with wavers to everyone, and mostly all of them signed them. Those who didn't quickly left. Team Crazy was talking with the sand siblings. "And remember the list, Gaara." Sakura warned. The sand-using boy nodded. "I know. But whoever else, I can kill in this stage?" He asked with a slight smile.

"Yep. Temari, Kankuro, you might want to watch out for him so he doesn't kill too many people." Naruto waved his hand idly and span the yo-yo. Temari got a deadpan expression. "Sure. He can't just crush us if we say anything against us, so no problem." She said sarcastically.

"…You're my siblings. I know now. I won't kill you." Gaara assured, something in his voice sounding like desperation. Kankuro quickly patted him on his shoulder. "We know, lil bro. Temari was joking. But seriously, you ARE creepy when you are on a killing spree." He chuckled nervously.

"You fail at life." Sasuke poked Kankuro, who twitched. "Have you ever tried to have a younger homicidal bro?" He asked. Sasuke shook his head. "No. I have an older one." He replied calmly.

"Everyone to your gates!" Anko yelled, and the boys looked at each other. "But we don't have a scroll?" Naruto blinked.

"Alas, girls will always be smarter than boys. We got them for you." Sakura said dryly, waving a scroll around just enough so nobody saw what kind of scroll it was.

"Oh. Let's go then!"

Sakura sighed.

XXX

"You idiots better be careful in here. It IS dangerous." Sakura warned her two teammates, who quite eloquently ignored her until she bashed them into the ground. "Listen to me!" She ground out, using her I'm-going-to-kill-you-slowly-and-painfully expression.

"Listening." Naruto grinned nervously, while Sasuke shook his head in place.

"Okay, we could split up, but I have a feeling that something's going to happen, and we won't like it. So what's the plan?" Sakura asked. Naruto narrowed his eyes. "True, we'll be stronger together than apart. I say we first try to actively hunt teams the first day, and if we get none, we'll get closer to the tower to lay traps. Sound okay to you?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It'll work. Probably. Maybe." Sasuke allowed. Naruto twitched. "I dare you to find a better plan." He huffed childishly. Sasuke smirked. "Nah, we'll go with yours. Let's set out already."

"Yeah, yeah."

XXX

It had been a day. The three were disappointed by the catch, having only gotten another scroll that was the same as they had from the start. All three were slightly tensed.

"There's something wrong here." Naruto said lowly, flicking his yo-yo. Sasuke looked around. "Yeah. And it's definitely dangerous if it can make YOU act normal." He added, halfway humorously. Sakura narrowed her eyes and then widened them.

"Wind jutsu!" The music-using girl warned. Naruto's eyes snapped to where they could see a vortex of wind heading towards them. "Dodge, then channel chakra to your feet!" He ordered. The three leapt out of the wind blast just in time, and planted their feet steadily to avoid being caught up in the wind following.

"That jutsu had WAY too much power to only be a genin, or chunin!" Sasuke observed.

"So you noticed." A slick voice chuckled, and Team Crazy felt chills down their spines as they turned to see a female grass ninja. "Something is wrong with this guy…" Sakura grimaced. Naruto and Sasuke nodded. "Sakura, you'll be support for now. We'll fight in front." Naruto ordered. Sakura nodded shortly.

"Oh, you'll fight? The prey should flee from the predator." The grass ninja said. Sasuke scoffed. "Oh, so you're a predator, is that so?" He asked. The grass ninja raised an eyebrow. "I'd say we're ninjas, the whole lot." The dark-haired boy finished, and back flipped out of the way from Naruto's yo-yo that tore into the grass ninja's face.

"Gah!" The grass ninja's voice changed, turning more male. Naruto flung his yo-yo back, and Team Crazy all cringed when they saw the grass ninja peeling his or her face off. "T-That's Orochimaru of the Sannin!" Sakura exclaimed, and immediately turned some buttons on her DJ board.

"Burasuto! (Blast)" The simple command uttered, and Orochimaru dodged away from a sound blast powerful enough to destroy a couple of trees.

"You two have to run to the tower! I'll try to keep him here with the gift from Kyuubi!" Naruto yelled. "No way! We're a team!" Sasuke yelled back. Naruto gritted his teeth. "Fine, stay then! But keep out of my way and try to attack when you get the chance!"

Orochimaru chuckled. "Futile. I only want Sasuke." He said. Naruto roared. "Don't you dare! Gijin-ka kitsune: Hi! (Anthropomorphic fox: Fire!)" He yelled, and began changing. Sasuke and Sakura looked wide-eyed at him.

In the span of a few seconds, Naruto's whole body structure changed, making him more flexible, filling him with fur, his face pushed out into a snout, his ears stretched out, his tailbone stretched out into nine tails, and he grew a whole 20 cm taller.

The result was a large anthropomorphic fox with fire-red fur, pure blue eyes and blue flames around his feet and hands.

"Whoa. Who'd a think Kyuubi's gift would be like that?" Sakura gasped. Sasuke just nodded. Orochimaru looked intrigued. "I won't let you touch my friends." Naruto growled, flinging a burst of fire from one of his nine tails.

"Hoh, this'll be interesting." Orochimaru remarked, and dashed towards Naruto, aiming to hit him with a poisonous snake that emerged from his sleeve. Naruto used his impressive new flexibility to bend over and kick Orochimaru in the face, sending him flying into a tree.

As soon as Orochimaru hit the tree, Sasuke leapt from his branch and did a couple of motions with his hands. Orochimaru barely saw that he had put on some gloves before he was tied to the tree. "Shannaro!" Sakura came from above and utilized her extreme strength to punch him.

It all took a couple of seconds.

"Did we get him? That seems unlikely." Naruto growled. Sasuke frowned. "Yeah…let's go, before he comes back!" He said seriously. Sakura and Naruto agreed, and they quickly bounded towards the tower.

"Aah!" Sasuke started and his face contorted in pain as Orochimaru's head bit into his shoulder with his fangs. "You will come to me, Sasuke. I can give you power…" He chuckled, and then quickly retracted his head when a clawed hand with flames around came to attack.

"Sasuke!" Naruto cried in alarm, but being worried for his friend, he forgot to watch his surroundings.

"Gogyo fuuin! (Five elements seal)" Orochimaru yelled and pressed his fingers into Naruto's stomach. Sakura looked wide-eyed on as Naruto's fox form simply reversed. Naruto grit his teeth. "You'll have to take care of us, Sakura…sorry. Use…Gogyo…kaiin." He said, before falling unconscious.

"Orochimaru! You hurt my teammates, and friends…I may not be strong enough now, but when I am, I WILL hunt you down!" The red-haired girl yelled. Orochimaru simply smirked and sunk into a tree.

"You may try, little girl…"

XXX

Sakura sighed in annoyance as a senbon with a bell got stuck next to her. "What now?" She asked, stepping out of the hollow tree she had put Naruto and Sasuke in. The sound team seemed surprised. "You aren't affected by my senbon music?" The girl asked.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "This proves it, Orochimaru recruits idiots for his village. I'm wearing headphones, sweetheart." She tapped the black and red headphones for emphasis.

"Oh. Err, give us Uchiha Sasuke and we'll let you go free." The one with bandages all over said. Sakura narrowed her eyes. "I refused to give him to Orochimaru. Do you really think I'll give him to you? Leave already, before I get REALLY angry." She warned.

"Who cares? I'll just kill you first!" The boy with spiky hair yelled, and charged. Sakura twitched. "Shannaro!" She growled, and punched the ground. The spiky-haired boy blinked as the ground beneath him opened. "Huh?" He asked, bewildered.

"Die, trash." Sakura said silently, grabbed the two sides of the deep hole she had made, and pulled it together with a great slam. The two remaining sound ninja looked horrified as they heard a scream, then silence.

"Mou, you really shouldn't antagonize Sakura. She's in a bad mood." A well-known voice said, and Sakura turned to see Naruto shaking his head. She smiled happily.

"And NO, you can't get Sasuke. One more word about it, and I'll seal you into a scroll for eternity. It ain't any fun, I assure you." Naruto warned. The two looked at each other, and then went to back down when they were frozen.

"Kagemane no jutsu. (Shadow imitation jutsu)" A lazy voice drawled, and Shikamaru came out of the bushes, making the two follow his movements. "What happened to you guys? You're all strong, so how come Sasuke's unconscious?" He asked.

Naruto shrugged. "That's what happens when one tries to fight Orochimaru, I suppose. Sakura, did you release the Gogyo fuuin?" He asked. Sakura nodded. "Yup." She affirmed. Naruto grinned evilly.

"Good. Shikamaru and I'll be taking care of these two. Watch Sasuke."

"…Okay."

XXX

After a lot of screaming, Naruto and Shikamaru came back. "I better get back to my team, or they'll wonder where I went. I'll see you later, kay?" Shikamaru gave a lazy salute and disappeared with a poof.

"He hasn't woken up yet? Strange." Naruto remarked, looking at Sasuke's still form. Sakura frowned. "I think it's got something to do with this. It's a seal, probably." She pointed at a strange seal on Sasuke's shoulder. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"I see…well, I need Sasuke's cooperation to fix it, but I can give him a kick-start awakening." The blonde smirked and channeled a tiny bit of Kyuubi's chakra into the seal.

XXX

Inside his mind, Sasuke was surprised to see a wave of something red wash over the now screaming manifestation of Orochimaru, disintegrating it. "Ah, Kyuubi's chakra?" He asked, and then yowled as he was hit with it too.

XXX

"Yeooww! That hurts, Narutooo!" Sasuke yelled, sitting straight up. Naruto chuckled. "It did wake you, didn't it?" He pointed out. Sasuke huffed. "Yeah, yeah. I feel better too, cuz Kyuubi's chakra destroyed most of the corrupting part of the seal-thing." He said.

Naruto looked serious. "So it is a seal huh? I suppose you were trying to resist the corrupting part, and that's what made you unable to wake. Well, I can help fix it, but right now, I think we better find a safer place." He said.

"I found another hollowed tree, not too far from the tower! And it's higher up." Sakura helpfully injected. Naruto grinned.

"Great! Come, come now!"

"Calm down, idiot."

XXX

**A little more serious than usual, it seems. Serves as a reminder that, though strong, Team Crazy aren't THAT strong...how do you like Kyuubi's gift? I don't think I've read anything like it before...Don't worry, Sasuke and Sakura will get power-ups too.**

**Please do review. ^.^**


	5. Chapter 5

**Another chapter in the most popular (I think) fic I have on this account! Sorry I used so much time and made new fics all the time. :/ Hope you like this chapter!**

Team Crazy sat near the tower in a hollowed out tree.

"Okay, we have two heaven scrolls. We need an earth." Sakura said silently. Naruto and Sasuke nodded, though Naruto was more focused on scribbling some seals over the one Orochimaru put on his friend.

"Sasuke, I'm going to infuse some of Kyuubi's chakra in the seal around." He warned. Sasuke frowned. "What does the seal do?" He wondered. Sakura was also curious. Naruto shrugged. "It locks up the cursed seal. I could have used another seal that is powered by your will, but this one is safer." He explained.

Sasuke smirked. "So you don't believe in my will power? Poor fool." He chuckled. Naruto chuckled too. "While the cursed seal is mostly clean now, there are still corrupting influences in it. I'll fix it when we're done, but meanwhile I'll just put on the extra seal. The cursed one steals your chakra, and my seal negates that effect, and might even give you a little extra."

"Naruto, though we all know you're proud of your inventions, please hurry up!" Sakura yelled silently. Naruto smirked and put his hand over Sasuke's seals. "Fuuin." He said calmly, and the seals he had scribbled on twisted around before glowing red and calming. Sasuke grit his teeth.

"That hurts!" He growled and bashed Naruto on the head. Said blonde just chuckled. "Sand sibs are just outside." He said, and jumped out of their tree. Sakura and Sasuke quickly followed.

XXX

"You were attacked by Orochimaru of the freaking sannin?" Temari questioned incredulously. All three nodded. "Yep. But could I ask how many scrolls you got?" Naruto grinned impishly. Gaara smirked. "We have three earth, two heaven." He stated.

"Ah, good, good…do you mind borrowing me one of those earth scrolls?" Naruto asked. Kankuro sighed. "You're supposed to fight for it." He pointed out. Naruto shrugged. "Do you want to fight me for it?" He asked. Receiving a very negative headshake, he chuckled.

"And there you have it." He said. Gaara smirked and handed over a brown scroll. "We are entering together or separately?" He wondered. "I say together, to show that we're all strong." Sakura suggested. Naruto nodded. "Yep, listen to the smart one." He grinned.

XXX

Once inside, the two teams from the sand unfurled the scrolls and tossed them away at Naruto's orders. Two chuunin appeared, looking confused. "Ah, you made it to the tower. You passed the second exam!" They told each team, and then set out to explain the poem on the wall.

"Excuse me? Could you show us where we can rest? If I'm not wrong, it's three days left, right?" Sakura said in a sweet voice, with a glint in her eyes that promised pain if not answered.

"Um, follow me!" Their chuunin said, near running through a door. Team Sand siblings followed, not even bothering to say anything to their chuunin. They were led to two rooms, with three beds each, a bathroom, and a comfy couch.

Between the two rooms, there was a door as well, though locked until Gaara broke the lock with his sand.

"Gaara…we had the key." Temari deadpanned. Gaara blinked slowly. "Oh." He nodded, and then went to sit on the couch. Naruto stretched. "Well…I'm hungry as hell! Where's the cafeteria, they have to have one here!" He said, and disappeared in a flash of light.

"I swear I saw the Konoha no Kiiroi Senkou just now!" Someone exclaimed outside the door. Sasuke and Sakura chuckled, while the Sand sibs shook their heads, amused.

"Let's go, we better watch out for the idiot." Sasuke muttered and walked calmly the same way Naruto had disappeared. Sakura left her DJ board on her bed and followed. Temari and Kankuro as well. Gaara didn't bother removing his gourd, letting it dissolve into sand and assemble again on the floor.

They found Naruto eating calmly, sitting at a table. Sasuke and Sakura did a double take. "Naruto? You're…not throwing the food into you." Sakura pointed out. The blonde sighed and scratched his head. "The cafeteria ladies didn't allow me to. Or else they won't let me get any food at all!" He cried.

"Maybe we should try that." Gaara said with a smirk, while Naruto glared at him sullenly. "Das ist verboten!" He exclaimed. Everyone looked weirdly at him. "What did you just say?" Temari questioned. Naruto blinked. "Oh. That's German, a language I'm learning. It's fun. Though I can Norwegian too! Maten her er ikke noe god, jeg foretrekker den i Suna. (The food here is not good, I prefer the one in Suna.)"

"…Why?" Kankuro wondered. Naruto shrugged. "Passes the time, I guess." And then he dug into his food again; ignoring the strange looks sent by his team and the sand sibs.

XXX

Naruto grumbled to himself as they walked to the large arena in the tower. It was the last day, and apparently they were too many, according to what Gaara's spying had discovered.

"Naruto, straighten up." Sakura commanded, fiddling with her DJ boards. He did as told, straightening up with a grin. "Are you nervous, Saku? I thought we weren't scared of anything." He teased. Sakura glared at him.

"Am not! I just wonder…how the invasion will go." She huffed. "It will go alright. Besides, if it turns too dangerous, we retreat, desert Suna or whatever." Naruto waved his hand.

The sand sibs looked at him with hurt looks. "You'd desert us?" Gaara asked. Naruto shook his head frantically. "Not you guys! You're like my siblings! But Suna itself on the other hand… Your dad's an asshole, no offense." He deadpanned.

"Trust us, we know." All three siblings said simultaneously, and Sasuke chuckled.

"We're here…god, I'm going to be bored out of my mind." He sighed.

XXX

Naruto ignored the Hokage's speech, preferring to look at the competition. Teams 8 and 10 had gotten through the forest, along with Team Gai, Kabuto's team, and their two teams.

"First fight is Yoroi Akado vs. Sasuke Uchiha. Everyone else off the floor." A sickly-looking jonin commanded.

Everyone cleared the floor, and Team Crazy went over to Zabuza who stood with Baki, both looking quite intimidating. "Good job, brats." He nodded to them. Naruto beamed. "He complimented us! I think he hit his head." He stage-whispered to Sakura, who nodded conspiratorially, to Zabuza's ire.

Down at the arena, Yoroi was spouting something or other about losing, and Sasuke was quickly getting annoyed. "Start!" The sickly jonin yelled, and Yoroi immediately charged. Sasuke leapt out the way, and swiftly put his gloves on.

He threw his arms out to his sides, crossed them, and bore down upon the older genin. In the course of a few seconds, Yoroi was bound tightly in Sasuke's wires.

"Forfeit." The Uchiha demanded calmly. Yoroi shook his head slightly. "You can't even harm me, can you?" He said. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and pulled his right hand down.

Yoroi was cut into bits before he could cry out.

"That's what you get for annoying me." Sasuke muttered, and flung his wires, flinging the blood off. The Konoha ninja seemed horrified at his display of brutality, while the Suna ninja didn't bat an eye.

"Winner, Sasuke Uchiha."

Sasuke leapt up to the spectators and made his way to his team, not removing his gloves, frightening the other contestants.

XXX

Sakura sighed as she was pitted against Ino. The blonde girl was flinging insults that didn't even make any sense, for god's sake!

"Start!" Hayate, the sickly jonin, yelled, followed by coughing. Sakura looked at Ino with a raised eyebrow. "Well? Are you going to attack anytime soon?" She asked. Ino scowled. "I'm better than you, anyway! I'm just giving you a chance to attack." She explained.

Sakura plugged in her speaker to her DJ boards and looked at Ino with a deadpan look. "Your funeral. Burasuto!" She sneered, and watched Ino scream in fear and dodge the sound bullet.

Sakura then surprised them all by putting on music and bobbing her head to it. "What are you doing?" Ino screamed, outraged. Sakura raised an eyebrow again. "Well, you gave me a chance to attack? Shouldn't I do the same?" She asked.

Ino growled and began a weak taijutsu attack. Sakura moved with the music and simply danced around her hits. "You are weak." She said, and Ino blinked, as the other girl's voice seemed to jump back and forth inside her head.

"I'm…weak…" She mumbled, frowning in confusion. That wasn't her thoughts, was it? Sakura nodded. "So weak…you don't even want to train…" Ino nodded slowly, vaguely wondering what was happening.

Suddenly, Sakura punched her into the wall, and she seemed to wake up from a daze. "Tsk, tsk. You shouldn't listen to your opponents, Ino. Especially not those who can hypnotize you. Give up, before I kill you." The red-haired girl demanded.

Ino nodded and tossed her hand up in the air. "I forfeit!" She yelled.

"Winner, Sakura!" Hayate yelled, and Sakura turned off her music and walked up the wall to stand beside her team. "And I didn't even use more than two techniques." She muttered, disappointed.

XXX

Next up was Temari vs. Tenten. The weapon girl jumped down, while the wind girl flew down on her fan.

"Start!"

Tenten wasted no time, and began throwing weapons at Temari, who simply deflected them with her fan. "Hm…this will quickly turn boring, and I did want to try out Naruto's tricks." The blonde grinned, leapt further away from the other girl and with a quick spin, she held two small fans in her hands.

Quickly clapping the big fan together and putting it on her back, she twisted the two small ones. "Watch it, weapon girl!" She grinned, and waved first the right one, then the small one.

Tenten was surprised to see the two small fans generate a large tornado heading towards her, and then saw that there were seals engraved onto them.

"Soshuryuu!" She yelled, pulling two scrolls from her pocket and unraveling them. She leapt into the air and began tossing weapon after weapon towards the wind girl, while trying to avoid the tornado.

Temari raised an eyebrow and danced around, deflecting each weapon with her fans. "Fine, we end this. Kazeryuu! (Wind dragon)" She shouted, waving her fans in a peculiar pattern. Tenten, still spinning around and throwing weapons were frightened when a dragon made purely of wind manipulation bore down upon her, tossing her into the air and cutting her up.

She fell down, heading straight for the weapons lining the floor. Temari shrugged and waved a small breeze, pushing the weapons away so the weapon girl landed on the floor without being pierced through by her own weapons.

"Winner, Temari!"

XXX

Kankuro finished his fight practically before it started, winding Tsurugi Misumi into his chakra strings and sharpening them.

"No use being stretchy if you're cut up." He chuckled, looking at Sasuke who smirked at his use of the chakra strings.

"Winner, Kankuro!"

XXX

Naruto smirked as he looked on Kiba Inuzuka and his dog. Kiba was haughtily informing him about the fact that he would lose, but considering the way Akamaru was shaking, the dog was not quite so sure.

"Hm, I have this technique that I haven't used so much…only once, as a matter of fact. Would be smart to know how to use it fully, yes?" The blonde chuckled.

"Start!"

Kiba instantly crouched down in his family's Shikyaku no jutsu, and dashed towards Naruto, intent on finishing the fight quickly. Naruto sidestepped him, and he crashed into the wall.

"My turn. Gijin-ka kitsune; Rai!" He shouted, and everyone except his teammates looked shocked as he transformed into a yellow-bluish anthropomorphic fox.

"What the hell?" Kiba yelled, and attacked again, only for Naruto to disappear and appear again with his fist in the other boy's stomach tossing him away.

"Hm…my speed has increased in this form." Naruto observed, cracking his fingers as small lightning bolts flew between them. Kiba burst from the rubble he landed in, and Naruto looked interested as the place he punched was burnt.

Kiba growled, and beckoned the frightened Akamaru over to him and gave him a pill. The white dog swallowed it, and suddenly turned red. Naruto tilted his head, looking very much like a curious fox.

"Interesting." The blonde fox murmured as Akamaru shifted to look like Kiba, and Kiba got more animalistic looks.

"Gatsuuga!"

Naruto yelped as he dodged two spinning tornadoes of claws. "Hey, now that's not fair! Fine, try hitting me now…Raiton: electric discharge!" He yelled, and electricity raced up around him, sparking.

One of the tornadoes came towards him, and he smirked. "Goodnight." He mumbled, and stretched his arm out towards it, letting the electricity from his hand form a bolt that hit the tornado, turning it into a smoking Akamaru.

The other tornado stopped spinning, revealing a distraught Kiba. "Akamaru! You'll pay for that!" He yelled. Naruto shrugged, and in a few seconds he was a human again, with his yo-yo bound around Kiba.

"Enough already. Forfeit, or do you want to be treated the same as Sasuke's opponent? I assure you my wire is just as sharp." He warned.

Kiba swallowed heavily, and looked over at Akamaru. "I forfeit." He muttered.

"Winner, Naruto!"

XXX

Last fight was Gaara vs. Lee.

It was finished quickly.

Gaara didn't waste any time, and ensnared Lee in his sand as soon as the word start was uttered. The older boy amazingly enough broke through, but Gaara had trained with Naruto, and avoided the hit that would probably have tossed him over the arena.

"Sabaku Kyuu! Forfeit, or you die." He said calmly, hand itching to be fisted. Lee swallowed heavily, looked at his sensei, and forfeited.

"Winner, Gaara!"

XXX

After the fights were over, the contestants were allowed to leave the tower. Naruto immediately left to the hospital, wanting to visit Hinata who had been put against Neji.

The older boy had to hold up the façade of hating his cousin, and so had been a bit harsh in his attacks. Team Crazy was quite deadpanned when they were informed that the lazy Shikamaru had gotten a bye to the next round.

"Ah, Hinata! How are you feeling, sunshine?" Naruto questioned. Hinata grimaced slightly. "Not too good. But it'll go over soon. Poor Neji though, I think he's beating himself up." She shook her head.

"Well, we'll go talk to him. We need to talk to all three of you, actually. Come to the shack in the forest of death tonight, if you can." Sakura informed the dark-haired girl.

"Very well, I'll try." Hinata nodded.

They met Gaara out in the hallway, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What's up?" He wondered. Gaara shrugged. "I am curious as for what your plans are with those three, four, friends of yours." He replied.

Naruto grinned. "Wait and see, bro. Nice job with your fight, by the way. It seems you learned to dodge, fighting me?" He chuckled. Gaara huffed. "Yes, I am quite thankful to you for teaching me that I do NOT want to get hit. I am certain I could have won even without my new skills, but it would have been harder." He said.

"And you would have tried to kill Lee more than disable." Sakura added.

"…That too."

XXX

Naruto found Neji at the market, looking miserable. He grimaced. "Hey, Neji. Don't beat yourself up, that's my job." He joked. Neji glared, somewhat irritated. "I hurt her, Naruto. I'm supposed to protect her." He said.

"And so you can, if you supposedly hate her. The elders would have found another, more sloppy guard if you showed that you love her. Besides, the team and I have a plan for you both…and Shikamaru. Just come to the shack in the forest tonight, okay? I'll tell you there."

Neji looked up, interested. "Hm. I'll come."

XXX

Sasuke found Shikamaru lying in the grass, relaxing. He chuckled. "If it isn't Mr. lazy himself. I know you're not one for small talk, so I'll get straight to the point. We've got something to tell you, so meet up at the shack in the forest tonight, kay? See ya later." He waved.

Shikamaru nodded, but didn't bother with a more vocal answer.

XXX

"Hey, Anko!" Sakura hollered up to the purple-haired woman lying on the fence to the forest of death. She looked down, and jumped to stand in front of the redhead. "If it isn't pinky! …Though I can't really call you that anymore, can I? What's up?"

"Nothing much, at least not that I can tell right now. Meet up at the shack in here tonight, and we'll talk more properly." Sakura informed her. Anko tilted her head and nodded. "Fine. See ya later then."

"Yeah."

XXX

Near the middle of the night, four figures were seen sneaking around in the forest of death. They quickly arrived at a small shack, and the largest shadow knocked on the door.

"Ah, there you are! Come in."

Anko, Shikamaru, Hinata and Neji came into the small though comfortable shack where Team Crazy was. Anko put her hands on her hips.

"So what's the big deal, huh?" She demanded. Naruto grinned mischievously.

"What do you think about leaving this place?"

XXX

**Soooo?**

**Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yay, I updated! Sorry 'bout the long wait for another chap to this story, but I've been in a bit too serious mood to manage good enough craziness. Read too much Dogs: Carnage and Bullets, I think. **

**Hope you like though. ^.^**

"So, how did you planning go?" Temari asked when Team Crazy arrived at the hotel later in the evening. Naruto grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "Just fine! Our friends have agreed to come with us, so it'll be fun!" He explained.

Sakura waved her hand flippantly. "They'll come with us after the invasion, whether it be successful or not. And considering they're three powerful genin and one strong jonin, making a team, we won't have to worry about being split up too much if we go to some other village." She smiled.

Temari frowned thoughtfully. "Oh. Yeah, that makes sense." She nodded. Sasuke raised one eyebrow curiously. "You seem a bit…flat? Is it because we might leave Suna at some point?" He wondered. The blonde shrugged. "I suppose. You all have been so …well, crazy, and Suna needed it, I think. And now, I can finally love my little brother without worrying about him killing me." She smiled softly.

Naruto's blue eyes softened slightly, and he grinned. "Don't worry, Temari. We'll always help if ya need it! Actually, here!" He handed her a small braided rope with jade stones in it. "It's a bracelet, and I've put seals on it, so you can contact us anytime! Just push chakra into it." He explained.

Sakura smirked. "Perhaps think about who you want to talk to too, in case you have some… private things to discuss." She said slyly. Temari blushed and glared. "Don't be stupid!" She huffed.

"…What're ya all talking about?"

XXX

Kankuro hadn't been very happy about getting a bracelet, and so he hid it underneath his glove, but Gaara actually liked his, letting it hang freely around his right wrist.

Kankuro's bracelet had a darker, almost black, jade color, while Gaara's was lighter, on the edge to blue. Of course, team Crazy had one each too, Naruto's with sapphire blue stones, Sakura with emerald green, and Sasuke with ruby red and black.

"Well, what now? We have a whole month with nothing to do… well, except training. And I'm sure we'll be hounded by our former 'comrades' as it were." Sakura rolled her eyes, and adjusted her headphones.

Sasuke blinked. "We train, and confuse the annoyances of course." He replied as if it was completely unheard of to do anything else. Sakura gave him a flat stare.

"What about relaxing a bit?" Kankuro suggested. Everyone blinked, and then nodded satisfied, even Gaara. "I agree." He merely intoned, to everyone's shock. "You do?" Kankuro blinked twice. Gaara raised one eyebrow.

"Have you washed your ears lately, Kankuro? I did agree." He said dryly. The cat-hooded boy looked dumbfounded, while the others were silently laughing at him, though surprised at Gaara's dry humor.

"Well, let's go then!"

XXX

Naruto sat on top of the monument of his father, staring down the sunset. Team Crazy and Sand sibs had been around Konoha the whole day, relaxing and having fun, and now they were all content with watching the beautiful shimmering of light from the lessening sun.

"It's so beautiful…" Sakura murmured silently, headphones for once hanging around her neck instead of being on her head. Naruto nodded and smiled serenely. "It's strange to know that despite that, this place is so corrupted." He mused.

Sasuke closed his eyes thoughtfully. "Yeah… but maybe that's what makes it so? Too much beauty, power… whatever, and one will always fall to desire." The raven-haired boy commented.

"Power is needed, yet it is not." Gaara added silently, watching his friends with wise eyes. "Beauty as well." Temari smiled slightly. Kankuro was silent, content with sitting and listening to his siblings and friends.

"Mhm." Naruto merely hummed in reply.

"Thought I'd find you here. And such a troublesome place to get to too." A low voice drawled, and a small smile lit up in Naruto's face as he turned. "Shikamaru. How are you doing?" He grinned.

Gaara studied the lazy-looking boy silently. 'So this is one of their friends…' He thought curiously. The pony-tailed boy yawned and gave him a sleepy glance before looking at Team Crazy again.

"Just fine. I've been preparing stuff. Got some jutsu scrolls and so on. What about you? Last I saw, Ino was still in a daze."

Sakura snickered silently. "Yeah, we met her again today. She's completely clueless and more or less ultra-confused." She claimed. Shikamaru nodded, and tilted his head. "Say, what was that technique you used on her in the exams?" He wondered.

Sakura shrugged easily. "Hypnotizing. I add chakra in special waves to affect my voice, thereby affecting someone's hearing, which goes to their brain. It's originally a sharinghan trick used with the eye, but I managed to tweak it a little to make it more effective and without the eye." She explained.

"You're all good at designing and customizing jutsu." Temari noted. All three nodded. "It started with me, and with how much time we spend with each other, it was bound to be picked up." Naruto chuckled.

Shikamaru looked thoughtful. "I'll have to hang around you guys then, try to figure out your troublesome mindset, ya know?" He mused. The strange team snorted in unison.

XXX

"WAAAAAH!"

"Come back here!"

The people of Konoha watched dumbfounded as a black and crimson flash zoomed past, with another one following, music surrounding the second figure.

"Oof." The first flash crashed into a wall, and rubbed his nose. "Damn walls, always in the way." He muttered.

"Naruto. Give me that eye patch! It's my favorite!" Sakura growled, a simple black eye patch over her eye instead of the black and silver Naruto had taken.

Naruto grinned. "Not before you agree to have pancakes for dinner!" He chuckled. Sakura blinked, and then sighed, exasperated. "Fine, we can have pancakes for dinner. But then it's pizza tomorrow!" She cracked her knuckles, and Naruto nodded quickly, handing her eye patch over.

"I honestly cannot understand you weirdoes. And what is pancakes and pizza?" A flat voice sighed. Both members of Team Crazy turned to look at Neji, who was looking at them with a raised eyebrow.

"Pancakes are flat… cakes. Yeah. And Pizza is pizza, you can't just describe it. Want some? You can come over for dinner!" Naruto suggested brightly. Neji snorted. "We're supposedly enemies for the duration of the exams, remember?" He pointed out.

Sakura waved her hand. "Since when did we follow rules, or even suggestions? Just come, if you don't have some Hyuuga stuff to do." She rolled her eyes.

"Maybe I will then." Neji nodded, and leapt onto a rooftop as he heard his exuberant sensei yelling. Sakura and Naruto blinked.

XXX

Tenten approached Neji hesitantly. "Neji…? Do you know those defectors?" She wondered, looking on as he finished tossing kunai in a complicated move.

Neji narrowed his eyes somewhat, but not enough that the bun-headed girl would notice, as she found his eyes somewhat disturbing, and never dared to stare.

"I do." He replied coolly. Tenten wrinkled her nose. "They're crazy." She sniffed. Neji smirked. "Indeed, they are. They've always been so." His tone was amused, and he nearly chuckled at Tenten's shocked look.

"They do call themselves team Crazy, so it would make sense that they are." He continued with a flat glance. Tenten frowned. "But someone would've noticed before they defected!" She claimed. Neji snorted. "They would not. No one beats team Crazy at acting."

"Too true." An amused female voice giggled as Hinata came over to them. "I've just been invited over for pancakes and pizza. I assume you've been dragged into it too?" She smiled. Tenten looked at the usually stuttering, timid girl in visible shock.

"Do not stare at my cousin, it is unbecoming." Neji chided in a flat tone, though Hinata could clearly hear the amused undertone. Tenten did not, and blushed slightly before stomping away in anger.

"The crazies aren't the only ones good at acting, hm, niisan?"

"Indeed, they are not."

XXX

"Shikamaru? Where are you going?" Shikaku wondered, looking at his son perceptively. Shikamaru glanced at the taller male lazily, hands in his pockets. "Out." He drawled, bored eyes baring a hint of humor. Shikaku snorted.

"I can see that. But it's not like you not to be lazy." He pointed out. Shikamaru shrugged. "Whoever said I wasn't? I merely found a point of interest, and decided to pursue it… slowly." He smirked.

Shikaku raised one eyebrow. "And this interest is? I wasn't aware interest was in your vocabulary even, what with all that is troublesome." He snorted. Shikamaru gave him a flat look.

"Team Crazy." He simply retorted, and then walked out as if he hadn't a care in the world. Shikaku got a thoughtful look on his face. "Team Crazy, hm? …Troublesome."

XXX

Anko was jumping with glee at the thought of eating pancakes for dinner. Kurenai noticed. "Anko, what are you so happy for?" She wondered. The purple-haired jonin grinned. "I'm having pancakes for dinner! Yummy pancakes!" She cheered.

Kurenai blinked dumbfounded. "Pancakes? …Are they some kind of dango, since you seem to like them so much?" She asked curiously. Anko shook her head. "Nah, dango still beats 'em, but pancakes are awesome! They're flat cakes made in a pan." She explained with a wave of her hand.

"…I see." Kurenai nodded uncertainly.

"Ya don't. NO ONE understands the awesomeness of pancakes, dammit!"

XXX

In the evening, team Crazy, team Sand sibs and team not-named-yet sat, eating pancakes.

Not surprisingly, the flat food was actually quite good.

"Where do you guys find these weird things?" Kankuro demanded, chewing on a piece of pancake with blueberry jam. Naruto grinned. "We dunno! Ya see, if I do this…" He reached out with his hand, and everyone blinked as it disappeared, before it reappeared with a strange item.

"I find something new! It's some kind of dimensional passage, I think. So we've found the food, and some other stuff there. Isn't it awesome?" He asked.

"…It's kind of disturbing." Everyone replied in unison. Naruto deflated.

"You're mean. Say, where are Baki and Zabuza?" He wondered. Gaara looked at the door. "They both left, mumbling about getting drunk after I told them that you had invited friends." He deadpanned.

"Wow, that's sad." Sakura commented off-handedly. Temari snorted. "Baki's used to things being as they are, you guys have completely messed up everything for him. And as for Zabuza… well, he usually lives in the same apartment as you! Poor guy." She chuckled.

Anko laughed easily, a real smile on her face. "The crazies can drive anyone mad, that's true. But I for one prefer those who act themselves, whether they are crazy or not! Order and whatever, that's just boring!" She complained.

Sasuke raised one eyebrow. "That explains why you're completely nuts, Anko." He retorted. Anko just grinned.

"Well, acting is funny, isn't it?" Hinata questioned, serving herself another pancake. "Indeed it is." Neji agreed, chewing contently at a pancake with sugar.

"At times." Temari allowed. "But we've been taught not to lie to comrades, even though we may hate them." She shrugged. "I have never lied. I like killing, and everyone knows it." Gaara droned with a slight smirk.

Naruto wrinkled his nose. "True, true. I don't like killing per say, but I do love fighting, tricking and… well, I suppose killing is in the list of likes after all. But not the innocents, that's a big no-no!" He sniffed.

"But how do one know who are innocents or not?" Anko asked solemnly, and rhetorically. "That's quite the problem, isn't it? But we have Naruto. He's like some sort of detector for that." Sakura waved impishly at the blonde.

"…Well, then it's okay!" Anko grinned. Sasuke snorted.

"Let's just eat, and if ya want, everyone can come over tomorrow too! Then it'll be pizza, yeah!"

"YEAH!"

XXX

"Damn, who knew it could be so hot in Konoha? Honestly, I feel as if I were back in the desert again…" Kankuro whined as he fanned his face with his hand.

"Well, maybe if you wore color in another color than black, and maybe a bit less… suit-ish?" Sakura suggested. Kankuro looked disgruntled at her. "The color hasn't got anything to do with it. It's designed for warm places." He muttered.

Sasuke raised one eyebrow. "Still, it is a full body suit. All of us others wear clothes that can be taken off, ya know." He gestured to himself, pointing out that he had taken off the white jacket and other unnecessary clothing items.

Kankuro just sniffed.

"It is strange though, that it is so warm. Maybe it's a warning?" Temari wondered. Naruto waved his hand easily. "Nah. Storms are usually more warning-like than warmth. Though, now that I think about it, storms usually come after the weather is hot and humid…" He mused.

Sakura snorted. "You're contradicting yourself." She claimed. Naruto shook his head. "I'm not! Cuz the weather isn't humid, is it? I rest my case." He huffed and put his nose up childishly.

"Hn…" Gaara put in, black-rimmed eyes half-lidded as he continued to follow team Crazy and his siblings, having nothing else to do.

XXX

Hinata was endlessly frustrated as she continued to dodge her little sister's jyuuken blows. Hiashi was watching, and from the look on his face, he was expecting her to fail.

In another corner of the room, Neji stood, giving Hinata a slight grimace. Then his eyes flickered, and he gained a slight smirk. As her byakugan was activated, Hinata could see a slight chakra glow from the bracelet around his wrist.

Team Crazy had talked to him then. He gave her a discreet thumb up, and pointed it down. Hinata smiled. Then, to Hiashi' shock, she leapt over Hanabi instead of side-stepping, and gave her a solid kick in the back, before spinning around to blast the younger girl with a chakra enhanced palm, sending her right into a wall.

"I win." The dark-haired girl intoned softly. Hiashi frowned stormily. "You broke out of the forms you were learned." He chided. Hinata met his eyes calmly. "I thought the purpose was for me to win? No rules were placed about how." She retorted.

"She is correct, Hiashi-sama. You have given no rules." Neji pointed out icily. Hinata nearly giggled at the amusement hidden under his act. Hiashi scoffed coldly.

"Very well, you have for once achieved victory, Hinata. See to it that it continues, but cease ruining the forms at once!" He demanded, before he strode out and slammed the sliding door shut, ignoring his youngest.

"Honestly, he's so arrogant." Hinata muttered, taking a glance at her younger, unconscious sister. Neji smirked. "Hanabi is too. It is clear she takes after her father, no?" He chuckled.

Hinata snorted. "Good thing he'll have his precious heir after the invasion then. After all, the former heir will have disappeared." She grinned slightly, and Neji nodded. "Indeed, disappeared seems to be the correct word… until someone sees us. I almost wish we could see the look on his face when he hears words of us traveling with a ragtag group."

"Yeah… that would've been awesome! I have to ask Naruto to see if he can make something to see it!"

"…Aa."

XXX

"No, Ino. Stop nagging, troublesome girl." Shikamaru sighed as he glared lazily at the light blonde girl who was currently pestering him about team Crazy.

"But Shikamaru! Maybe we can fix whatever is wrong with them!" She claimed. The pony-tailed boy snorted. "You can't fix what isn't broken. Leave them alone, or I'm afraid something will happen." He warned.

Ino scrunched up her nose and gave a mighty frown. "Like what?" She huffed.

"Like this!" A sunny voice chuckled, and Ino screeched as she found herself bound in the wires of a red and black yo-yo. She turned to see Naruto grinning at her, a somewhat mischievous expression on his face.

Sakura and Sasuke, as well as the Sand sibs stood behind him. "Really, Shikamaru, was that real annoyance I heard? I was just waiting for you to run Ino through with a shadow spear!" Sakura snickered, ignoring the blonde's horrified and disbelieving look.

Sasuke raised one eyebrow. "What, you didn't know? Shikamaru's got pretty nice skills… when he's not asleep, that is." He smirked. Shikamaru gave a flat stare.

"…Can I kill her?" Gaara wondered, looking at the now terrified blonde girl. Naruto wagged his finger at the redhead. "No, you can't kill her, at least not now." He chided. Gaara got an expression similar to a pout.

"Can I kill her sometime else then?" He asked hopefully. Sakura snorted. "Why do you want to kill the piglet so much?" She wondered. Gaara gave a very flat glare. "She hurts my ears, and she's inexplicably stupid." He reasoned.

Naruto made a thoughtful look. "Hm, you're right about that… but still, maybe some other time!" He said cheerily. Ino looked at him with wide eyes. "What! B-but!" She stuttered.

Shikamaru smirked lazily. "I did say you'd get trouble."

XXX

Anko yawned largely and grinned sleepily as she watched her calendar.

"Tomorrow's the final exam… this'll be fun! …Of course, not as fun as whatever comes afterwards!"

XXX

**Well, this chapter was basically a filler. Revolves around the main characters and their friends, and some stuff they've done until the finals. **

**Hope it wasn't too bad, what with the almost-serious-ness! **

**Please review! ^.^**


	7. Chapter 7

**There, another chapter for Team Crazy! ^::^**

**Hope you like.**

"Stand still, kid." Genma Shiranui raised an eyebrow at the dancing, redheaded girl standing beside the slouching boy. She raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't wanna." She said, blowing him a raspberry.

"Now, now, Sakura. Ya should listen to the proctor man." Naruto wagged his finger from where he stood at the other side of Shikamaru. The dancing girl pouted and stood still, to Genma's relief.

"How'd you do that?" Sasuke wondered, blinking curiously. Naruto shrugged. "Dunno." He replied. Neji snorted from where he stood. "Of course not." He smirked.

"Enough. We're starting. Will all participants except Neji Hyuuga and Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze step out of the arena?" Genma said loudly, a jutsu allowing his voice to be heard all over the arena.

Shikamaru groaned as he found himself dragged after Sakura, while Temari, Kankuro, and Sasuke rode with Gaara on his sand. The silent Shino Aburame went up the stairs, silently grumbling as everyone forgot him.

"Neji Hyuuga vs. Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, start!"

The white-eyed and the blue-eyed boy sized each other up. _'__So__…__?__What__'__s__the__plan?__'_ Neji wondered as he slowly crouched into the Hyuuga fighting stance. _"__Oh,__I__don__'__t__know__… __wing__it?__Not__like__we__'__ll__become__chunin__anyway.__I__want__to__try__another__of__my__fox__forms.__Get__ready!__'_

"If you don't start, I will! Anthropomorphic fox: Water!" Naruto declared, and within a few seconds he had turned into a blue-toned fox with sleek limbs and liquid-looking tails. Neji narrowed his eyes.

"Transformations will not help you against the Hyuuga techniques, fool!" He exclaimed, and ran towards Naruto, palms blazing with chakra. Naruto deftly bent away from the palm, movements smooth and refined.

Neji stumbled forward as a tail smacked him in the back of the head, before spinning around and poking Naruto's arm. The blue fox blinked as his arm hung uselessly. "That's some poke." He mused, before blowing a raspberry at the longhaired Hyuuga, as his arm seemed to disassemble into water before being fully usable again.

"Water form works great against Hyuuga poking! Good to know." Naruto grinned, before vaulting over Neji and kicking him into the air. The Hyuuga boy twitched as Naruto leapt up after him, and began to gather chakra.

"Eight trigrams heavenly rotation!" He declared and began spinning in the air just as Naruto hit him.

The blue fox was sent flying into the ground, making a huge mark in the ground. He climbed out and shook his head. "I didn't know you could do that!" He exclaimed. Neji landed on the ground and smirked.

"The Hyuuga are superior. Losers will always be losers." He said, completely into his role. Naruto nodded. "Yeah, about that, I think it's time we kick that bullshit out of your head. Water style, mountain crusher!"

Neji looked like a deer caught in the headlights as the Hyuuga-now-water style-move rushed towards him like a veritable wall. He barely managed to begin spinning, and thankfully, it was enough to stop the water pressure, though he was now thoroughly drenched.

'_What was the big idea, Naruto? That water was cold!'_

'_That's what bothers you? I knew you'd use the rotation, and couldn't resist. Hah!'_

'…_Hn.'_

"Next time, use warmer water. Eight trigrams, mountain crusher!" Neji yelled, pushing a wave of chakra towards Naruto in the original move. The blue fox blinked and allowed himself to become liquid, being blown into the wall and trickling to the ground.

"Wow, that was pretty cool, don't you think?" He exclaimed as he solidified. Neji rolled his eyes. "Yes, it was." He agreed.

"Good! Water Palm Heel strike!" Naruto blurred forward towards Neji and pushed the heel of his palm to Neji's body, allowing chakra-filled water to punch a hole right through at his side.

"Oh, that was more powerful than I thought… good thing I wasn't going for your vital organs."

"…Yes…" Neji gritted his teeth as he put his hand to the injured side. "Proctor! I forfeit. I'm not getting anywhere like this." He said loudly. Genma nodded.

"The winner is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze!"

XXX

"Damn Naruto, you did a number on him." Sakura chided as Naruto came up to the other participants. He shrugged, and twisted his top, trying to get some water out of it.

"It wasn't really on purpose. But my water mode is kind of…playful. The electricity form is really impatient, and the fire one is also impatient, and easy to anger."

"Huh. You better be careful with those modes of yours. Shikamaru, get down there you lazy doormat!"

"…I resent being called a doormat."

"Whatever." Sakura rolled her eyes and pushed the dark-haired boy over the railing. Temari stifled a laugh as she flew down on her fan.

XXX

"Are you joking me? My father wanted to? Well I don't care. You act like an asshole, against your own daughter no less! And you want Hinata to grow up strong? Help her, instead of neglecting her! Geez, and you're supposed to be a clan head…"

Hiashi stared at Neji, bewildered as the boy totally blew him off, talking entirely different from his usual coolness and actually, somehow, liking Hinata.

"What…?"

"Forget it, you'll never change. I'm out of here." Neji snorted, leaving behind his rather stupefied uncle.

XXX

"Shadow imitation." Shikamaru drawled lazily, face not changing a bit from his annoyed look as Temari leapt away. "Can't you just stand still?" He demanded.

"When you actually work, lazy ass." She retorted. Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "You've sparred with team Crazy, haven't you? Meaning that for me to actually land a hit the physical way, I'd have to work really hard. I'm a lazy guy." He explained.

"You don't say. Wind scythe jutsu!" Temari waved her fan half-heartedly. A black wall rose in front of Shikamaru, and when it was cut down by the sharp winds, the pineapple-haired boy was nowhere to be seen. The Konoha ninja were shocked, never having seen such a move before.

"I like being lazy. And use my head." Shikamaru drawled as he rose out of Temari's shadow. The wind-user's eyes widened and she leapt away quickly. "I see why you're team Crazy's friend… you're smart." She mused.

"Sure, let's go with that. I suppose I'll have to really work now… Shadow pack." The shadows underneath the boy began to bubble strangely as several dark creatures, reminiscent of dogs, surfaced.

"Go on." Shikamaru nodded his head, and the pack of animals ran towards Temari, who quickly changed her big fan to two small ones. "Wind style, sand storm!" She yelled, spinning around and waving her fans. Soon, the powerful winds pushed sand and dirt with them, making a sand storm towards the shadow creatures.

While the creatures were battling the sand storm, Shikamaru slinked in the shadowed corners of the arena. Temari noticed him, and sent a sharp wind towards him, but he merely slid down into the shadow and disappeared.

'Damn, he was with the Crazies for a long time, probably. And he's way too smart!' The blonde girl thought worriedly.

"Forfeit."

Everything stilled as Shikamaru held a kunai to Temari's neck, positioned to slit it if she jumped.

"…Heh. I forfeit."

"Winner, Shikamaru Nara!"

XXX

"You were amazing!" Naruto exclaimed as the two came up, and Kankuro and Shino went down in the arena. Shikamaru yawned and scratched the back of his head. "Sure." He snorted.

Temari grinned at him. "It was a good fight. You were better than I thought. Hey, shouldn't you be with the medics?" She turned her attention to Neji who sat propped up against the wall.

"Sakura is skilled as a medic. Besides, my uncle can't come here."

"Sit still, Neji."

"…"

"You have gotten better with your shadow traveling." Sasuke noted, smirking. Shikamaru nodded. "You didn't think I'd stop training just because you were gone?"

"…I actually did think that."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Uchiha."

XXX

"That chakra shield was a great move, Kankuro!" Naruto exclaimed as the black-clad boy came up. He smirked haughtily, though a vague smile was present for all who knew him. "Of course. It uses up too much chakra to use frequently though." He shrugged.

"Still, quite ingenious, little brother. You could always try to implement the chakra shield to some of your defensive puppets, couldn't you?" Temari mused. Kankuro nodded.

Gaara nodded to Kankuro before he went down. "Good job. Be ready to follow when it happens." He warned. All of the ones standing there nodded.

Gaara and Sasuke jumped down for their match, matching smirks curling on their lips.

Sakura sighed. "Not fair that I don't get to fight though." She muttered. Shikamaru tossed a glance at the simple ninja standing in the shadows, and snorted. "You would've had no trouble anyway. Everything's ready?"

"Yep. Naruto's got all our equipment sealed, even Anko's house. As soon as the invasion starts, we'll leave into the forest."

"Hn. This'll be interesting."

XXX

When the invasion actually started, Temari and Kankuro leapt down in the arena to join Sasuke and Gaara in leaving for the forest. Naruto and Sakura gave each other a high five and leapt up to different directions, Neji following the green-eyed girl, Shikamaru following the blonde.

"Anko! We're heading out!" Naruto shouted with a grin. The purple-haired woman finished throwing a ninja with her snakes and grinned. "Finally!" She exclaimed, jumping high up in the air and following the ones that had disappeared into the forest.

"Now, Shikamaru, we'll be doing some sabotage for the snake before leaving."

"Heh, sounds like fun."

XXX

Sakura danced around ninja as she finally came over to Hinata, who had tossed off her heavy jacket and was attacking ninja with ferociousness that had shocked Kiba.

"Hinata! Follow Neji and the others! I'll be after you in a while." The headphones-wearing girl ordered, and Hinata and Neji nodded, running off. Kiba gawked indignantly as Sakura leapt over him and towards the roof of the Kages, where a big, purple barrier could be seen.

Just as the brown-haired boy was about to follow the former Konoha ninja, a hand fell on his shoulder. "Hey, you go follow those that ran into the forest." A random Konoha ninja said. Kiba blinked, and then nodded, running off with Shino, Rock Lee and Tenten joining him.

XXX

"So, how do we get past the barrier?" Shikamaru asked, looking at it with curious eyes. Naruto snorted. "You, by the shadows. Us: by my seal. I just have to finish it up."

"Everyone's off, but a team of genin were sent after them." Sakura reported as she landed on the roof. Curiously, the team of ANBU standing right beside them seemed not to notice that they were there.

"That's fine, everyone on our team is at least chunin level. Shikamaru, head in." Naruto muttered as he brushed ink quickly on the complicated pattern he had drawn.

The dark-haired boy nodded as he formed several hand signs and melted into Naruto's shadow, which stretched into the barrier. He silently rose up on the inside, ignoring the Sound 4's incredulous and stupefied looks.

"Sakura, when I slap this on the barrier, head straight for Orochimaru. Ignore whatever Sandaime is doing."

"Got it."

"Is there something I can help with?" A silent voice asked as Haku materialized upon the roof. Naruto blinked. "Sure. Watch out for those two. Okay. NOW!" He yelled, activating his seal. Sakura and Haku leapt through the hole that formed, and the ANBU suddenly seemed to wake up from whatever trance they were in.

"Come on, men!" The captain yelled, and Naruto sneered as he allowed them to pass through the opening he made, before closing it. Then he cracked his knuckles as he grinned at the four holding up the barrier.

XXX

Orochimaru thought everything was going rather well. Well, it had been, until those brats had come and begun meddling.

"Shadow dolls." Shikamaru's voice intoned, and several black look-alikes appeared from the shadows, standing completely still. Orochimaru sneered. "Seems your jutsu failed, boy."

"Not at all. Sakura, if you'd please?"

"Of course." Sakura plugged in her speakers, and a vaguely ominous song in another language began streaming out. Orochimaru recalled it being called Skrømt, by someone that called himself or herself Gåte. Why he recalled it, he didn't know.

As soon as the music reached the dolls, they came alive, attacking with a ferocity that didn't quite fit the music, though the music seemed to fit them. Sandaime and his ANBU guards watched in curiosity as the longhaired man dodged some blows from the shadow dolls.

Suddenly, the barrier fell down as the heads of the Sound 4 rolled off their necks. Naruto whistled innocently as he waved his yo-yo around. "Whoops, I seem to have ruined your barrier, snake." He taunted. Orochimaru snarled in anger, but as the barrier was down, several more ANBU and skilled ninja began to appear.

"I will remember this! You brats better watch your backs!" He hissed as he began retreating.

"Sure thing, snake-face!" Sakura called after him, turning off her music. Sandaime approached the three as his guard and many others began chasing Orochimaru.

"Thank you for your help." He nodded. Naruto snorted. "It was only this once. Remember that. Anyway, we're leaving now, see ya." He waved, grabbed onto his teammates' shoulders and promptly disappeared. Haku sighed when he was forgotten, and stepped into an ice mirror before disappearing as well.

XXX

Meanwhile, the genin team from Konoha was fighting with the Suna team and the defectors. "Hinata! How could you?" Kiba demanded. The blue-haired girl looked coolly at him as she span around in a chakra-enhanced roundhouse kick.

"How could I stand Konoha, you mean? I can't." She retorted. Neji snorted. "Wise choice of wording." He complimented. Hinata smirked happily.

"I agree with Neji, Sunshine! And Kiba, really… Haven't you seen how people treat her? Either she's a doll, or she's a snob. Or she's just a failure. I wouldn't like staying in a place like that… which is why I left." A snide Naruto sneered as at Kiba as he landed beside Hinata.

"Neji! Why do you leave? You're treated like royalty!" Tenten yelled, Rock Lee nodding in agreement as they fought off fierce winds and chakra strings.

"Tch. Where Hinata goes, I go. Besides that, I'd rather follow my friends than stay here in this hypocritical village."

"Friends?"

"Which would be us." Sakura waved cheerily.

"We don't have time for this." Gaara droned, looking in distaste at the bug-using boy who was trying to fight his sand.

"Indeed. Sasuke!" Naruto nodded to the Uchiha, who flipped into the air and drew his hands together. Previously unseen wires flipped around and bound the four Konoha genin to the trees, tight enough to hold them, but slack enough not to cut them.

"We'll be off then. Bye." Naruto waved cheerily. Anko laughed. "You'll surely be picked up sooner or later, brats!"

"Wait!"

Naruto clapped his hands together, and red and blue chakra exploded out of him to encompass everyone. In a blink, they were all gone.

XXX

"Waah, I'm exhausted!"

"Well, you shouldn't have used so much chakra!" Sakura admonished Naruto as he leaned on Sasuke's shoulder. The dark-haired boy rolled his eyes as he allowed the blonde to relax. "He always does."

"Wow, you got us all the way back to Suna!" Kankuro exclaimed, amazed. Temari was equally amazed, if her wide eyes were any indication. Hinata sighed in relief. "Glad I took off my jacket. It's too hot here."

"Well, we are in the desert." Neji smirked. Shikamaru yawned, shrugging off his vest and putting it in his pouch. Anko had put on some sunglasses she got from… somewhere, and stretched.

"So… Zabuza is still in Konoha. We'll wait here for him?" She asked. Naruto nodded, and started when an ice mirror appeared right next to him, and Haku stepped out.

"You forgot me. Again. I'm insulted." The feminine boy muttered.

"…We're sorry Haku!" Team Crazy apologized in unison. Haku raised an eyebrow, and then sighed when he got a pout from Naruto. "Apology accepted." He nodded.

"Yay!"

"Shall we enter the village?" Gaara suggested, gaining nods from everyone.

XXX

In Konoha, Zabuza sighed as he was confronted by several, well-known Konoha jonin. "What?" He drawled, heaving his sword on his shoulder.

"What do you mean what? You're the enemy in this invasion!" Kurenai Yuhi exclaimed.

"Calm down, Kurenai. Momochi, you were the one that killed Kakashi, weren't you?" Asuma Sarutobi asked, raising an eyebrow. Zabuza sneered beneath his mask of bandages.

"Yeah. It's not as if he ran right into my sword, but pretty close. Though it's a bit of an annoyance that his brats decided to adopt me as their teacher instead."

"Team 7? Why didn't you just kill them then, what with your reputation?" Kurenai said softly, a slight trace of distaste in her voice. Zabuza snorted. "Oh I've tried alright. Damn brats just won't die. They're pretty funny though, and Haku, my underling, likes them."

"How youthful!" Gai Maito yelled. Zabuza looked weirdly at him.

"Anyway, I have the distinct feeling that those brats left me behind, again! They always do that. By the way, I overheard them talking with some others. So… Shikamaru Nara, Hinata and Neji Hyuuga, as well as Anko Mitarashi probably followed them. More people to watch." He sighed.

The three jonin blinked in surprise, hearing that their students, and friend, had left Konoha.

Zabuza waved a hand as he slipped his sword on his back. "Well, see ya around. I better get the blonde brat's seal to work." He said, pulling a seal tag from his pouch, and slapping it on the ground.

He disappeared with a poof of orange smoke.

XXX

Zabuza appeared next to the group of strange, rather crazy teens and woman, startling Anko to nearly skewer him with a dango stick.

"Hey, watch it woman!" He sniffed in annoyance as the bandages around his face fell off in pieces, revealing his roughly sculpted face and pointed teeth. Everyone blinked at him.

"You're pretty handsome after all." Anko smirked. The dark-haired man snorted in exasperation. "Whatever. Should've known you all would've left here."

"Which is why I gave you the traveling tag!" Naruto piped up. Zabuza just glared.

"What's in the past stays in the past, right? Right now, I'm hungry. Zabuza… where is your wallet?" Sasuke smirked at the tall man, who sighed. "Here. Don't use it all up, or I'll hang you upside down in the roof as a decoration!" He threatened.

"…Right. See ya later!"

"Wait for us, Sasuke!"

XXX

**This chapter was kind of weird. I kept forgetting Haku too! ... So... I made them forget him too. Poor Haku seemed pretty miffed! xP Now, I wonder what will happen now...**

**Also, you may have noticed that I have switched the jutsu to english. I don't really like them that way, but it's easier... and so, almost everything has gone english. **

**The song I put in, (dunno why, actually) is a really nice/cool/interesting song. It's Norwegian, and is about a Skrømt, which is a ghost, or wraith or something. You really should check it out on Youtube.**

**Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**And I've finally updated TC again! So sorry for the wait, you who cares to wait for it. I've simply had a lot on my mind lately - this including Assassin's Creed, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, and how to sew clothes. **

**But now I finally got around to writing another chapter. I twisted my ankle, and wasn't allowed to walk on it for 3 days - which meant no school. That gave me some time to write instead. Hope it's not too bad of a chapter!**

XXX

"We'll come visit sometime!"

"And don't forget the bracelets!"

"Hn." Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke waved, after the red-haired girl smacked the dark-haired boy for his 'Uchiha-language'.

Zabuza was dodging Anko's attempts at cutting his bandage-mask off. The purple-haired woman was grinning gleefully.

Shikamaru, Neji and Hinata were merely watching, and giving a brief wave to the Sand sibs.

"You better visit!" Temari yelled; Kankuro and Gaara nodded.

"We will!"

With that shout, Naruto clapped his hands together and they disappeared in a burst of chakra.

XXX

"So, brat, where exactly are we?" Zabuza asked blandly, looking around the unfamiliar environment. Naruto grinned. "Fire country, near Tanzaku town. I've a feeling we'll want to be here a week or two." He said with an impish look.

"Which means something troublesome will happen. Troublesome." Shikamaru sighed, and hurriedly dodged Hinata's chakra-filled 'friendly' backslap.

"Everything's troublesome to you." The dark-haired girl muttered, an exasperated smile on her face. Neji nodded in agreement. "Perhaps we should make a… solution? Each time you say troublesome, you get to endure _Naruto's _training for one hour." He mused.

Shikamaru got a panicked look, and shook his head quickly. "That's way too-! Hm." He pressed his lips together in defiance. Anko chuckled at him. "Let's see how long you'll last, shadow boy. Who wants to bet? Naruto's not allowed!" She grinned as Naruto stuck his tongue out.

"I'll bet a fire jutsu that Shikamaru won't last long." Sasuke smirked. Sakura snapped her fingers. "I'll bet a medic jutsu that he will last long." She decided.

"A water jutsu, on that shadow boy won't last long." Zabuza put in.

"Senbon techniques that he will." Haku smiled.

"Chakra sensing that he will." Hinata said. Neji smirked. "Secret blackmail photos of the Hyuuga that he won't." Everyone gasped in awe. "How'd you get blackmail photos of the Hyuuga?" Naruto asked.

"Please. I did live with them. And I've quite a talent for taking photos, or so I've heard." Neji said: his chin tilted high. Shikamaru snorted. "While this is all fun and games, back to the point. It's really t-annoying that you're betting on me. Annoying people." He drawled.

"But it's fun!" Naruto interjected. Shikamaru gave him a withering glare. "And anyway, shouldn't we find some place to make camp, rent some rooms in a hotel, whatever?" He pointed out.

"I'd like to make camp."

"Yup."

"Me too."

"Why not?"

"Hn."

"Fine."

"Alright! Let's get to it then! Wait a second… didn't you brats take my house with you?" Anko blinked. Then everyone blinked.

"You're right!" Naruto said, in a marveling tone. Anko gave an arrogant look. "Course I am. I'm just that cool." She said.

"That sounds childish."

"It does not!"

Zabuza and Anko glared at each other, while the younger ninja bustled around to fix everything.

XXX

"Pancakes are so good, they could rule the world." Anko said in all seriousness as they all sat in the kitchen, some around the small table, others strewn haphazardly around the rest of it.

"I agree." Naruto said happily as he put a huge spoon with blueberry jam on another pancake and consumed it. Sasuke smirked lazily as he used his wires to get another pancake, without needing to move from where he sat – curiously enough – the bench.

"Sasuke's cheating." Sakura declared. Hinata nodded, and - with the preciseness of a Hyuuga – snatched the pancake out of the air. Sasuke glared. "That was mine!" He grumbled. Hinata simply smiled sweetly.

"Why are you acting like children anyway? I thought you brats were ninja." Zabuza muttered. Neji glared, and Shikamaru gave a lazy stare. "I think they've got a switch in their brain somewhere." The pony-tailed boy revealed.

"Or they're just crazy. Which their team name supports." Neji pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Crazy is fun!" Anko exclaimed, crouching protectively over her stack of pancakes.

Zabuza rolled his eyes. "Soon I'll go crazy too." He snorted. Haku smiled softly. "That would be fun." He said. Zabuza looked incredulously at him, and the feminine boy burst into laughter.

"I think Haku's gone nuts already." Sakura noted.

Zabuza sighed.

XXX

"What are we looking for, Naruto?" Sasuke asked curiously, looking idly at the nice – and the not so nice – buildings of Tanzaku town. The blonde grinned at him. "Not what. Who. We're looking for a blonde woman. My godmother, actually." He revealed.

"You have a godmother?" Both of his teammates blinked. Naruto nodded. "Godfather too. But my godfather was too busy perving and spying, and my godmother was too busy with grieving and drinking, so none of them took care of me." He explained.

"Wait a second, perving and spying? Are you talking about Jiraiya of the Sannin?" Sakura blinked bewildered.

"Yup. Team Not-Named-Yet is on the lookout for him. I heard he was headed this way." The blonde nodded imperiously.

"…Why are we looking for your godmother?" Sasuke wondered. Naruto shrugged. "I want to talk to her." He replied with a foxy grin. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment on it.

Sakura did. "You probably want to beat some sense into her too, I take it?"

"…Well, that too."

"Let's go then!"

XXX

"Um, I think that's one seriously drunk woman." Sasuke pointed out, looking at where a black-haired woman was frantically trying to calm down a furious blonde with blushed cheeks and glassy eyes.

Sakura blinked. "Yeah." She gave a simple nod. Naruto walked calmly over, standing beside the black-clad woman. "So, why exactly is she so angry?" He asked blandly.

The black-haired woman turned and blinked. "Someone stole her gambling money! And I can't get her to calm down!" She said frantically. Naruto looked at Sasuke, who shrugged and pulled on his gloves.

Within seconds, the blonde woman was tied up, glowering at the black-haired boy with the gloves. "Release me, brat. Or I'll snap this wire in two, and then proceed to snap you in two." She said dangerously.

Sasuke twitched, and hid behind Naruto, causing Sakura to snort.

"Naruto, your godmother is damn scary!" The Uchiha exclaimed, and the blonde woman immediately stopped tensing her muscles to break out, blinking several times as she looked at the blonde standing in front of Sasuke.

"…Naruto?"

"Hi, godmother. Nice to see you too."

XXX

"You look like a carbon copy of Minato, though with Kushina's eyes and personality." Tsunade of the Sannin commented with a slight, tired smile. Naruto grinned. "I know." He agreed.

"Naruto! The pervert is coming, just as you predicted!" Hinata's voice came as the dark-haired girl came running easily. "Neji, Shikamaru and Anko are following him. I think he understands someone is following him though." She said.

"Ah, good work, sunshine. I'm not surprised; a spymaster should be able to sense that. Allow him to come, it won't hurt us." Naruto grinned mischievously.

Hinata raised one eyebrow. "What's on your mind?" She inquired. The blonde blinked innocently. "My mind? It's completely empty, don't you know that?" He said.

"I do, but your expression lacks emptiness." Hinata retorted easily, a smile twisting her lips. Naruto nodded thoughtfully. "That's something." He agreed.

"Mind telling me what my adorably confusing godson is babbling about?" Tsunade asked blandly. Sakura grinned. "He's planning something, of course! And playing around with people's heads. It's a fun pastime." She explained.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, and her mouth twisted into an amused smile. "Just like his parents. Only thing that is different is the headband." She mused.

"I think Naruto plans to get them all. Now we have one Konoha, one Suna, and I believe he'll want to go to Kiri next." Sasuke smirked. The blonde woman nodded slowly.

"Lady Tsunade! Jiraiya is coming!" Shizune, Tsunade's black-haired assistant yelled as she ran to her mentor. "I know, Shizune." She smirked. Shizune blinked, and looked at the genin around.

"Oh, excuse my rudeness! My name is Shizune." She gave a quick bow in greeting.

"Sasuke."

"I'm Sakura."

"My name is Hinata."

"And I'm Naruto. Nice to meet you!" Naruto grinned and waved happily, before he yelped and leapt to the side as a purple blur nearly crashed into him.

"Stand still, Naruto! I want to hug you!" Anko yelled. Naruto hid behind the amused Tsunade and stuck his tongue out at the purple-head. "No way! You'll squeeze the life out of me!"

"Mou. Anyway, Neji and Shikamaru are on their way. And also, I think Haku said something about black-cloaked men with red clouds headed this way. They seemed ominous." The special jonin shrugged.

"Ah, I forgot! It's Itachi and Kisame! Awesome! Let's mess with people's heads!"

"How?"

"…I'm going to… make dinner." Naruto said it dramatically, and Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "How's that to mess with people's heads?" She wondered.

Naruto wagged his finger and grinned. "We'll invite Jiraiya and those Akatsuki to eat, of course. Don't worry about Itachi he's pretty nice. Kisame… well, he's cool." He nodded to himself.

Tsunade looked at the other ninja, who just shrugged and grinned. With a snort, she waved towards the little kitchen in the small hotel-room they were in.

Naruto grinned.

XXX

Jiraiya grumbled as he knocked on the door to the hotel room he had found Tsunade to stay in. In his white mane of hair were flecks of purple paint, which came from a sudden paint balloon that he thought, had come up from the shadows underneath a tree.

"Come in." Tsunade's voice allowed, and he gratefully opened the door, and stopped to blink. Tsunade sat calmly in a comfy chair, and in a sofa sat one black-haired woman, one purple-haired woman, one redheaded girl and one blue-black-haired girl talking gossip.

In another chair sat an unmistakably Uchiha boy playing with ninja wire, and from the kitchen came the sound of making food – not to forget the smell – and playful singing.

"Um?" The tall man blinked. Tsunade smirked at him. "Well? Come in, Jiraiya. Naruto's making dinner, I'm sure there'll be some for you too."

"Right."

"Hey, Naruto! Those black-cloaked guys are getting closer. This is so tr-annoying."

Jiraiya blinked incredulously as a pony-tailed boy rose out of his shadow, and then he focused on what he'd said. "Black-cloaked guys?" he asked seriously.

A blonde head popped out of the kitchen. "Yup, it's the Akatsuki. You can fight later, I'm planning to invite them to dinner." Naruto said matter-of-factly. Jiraiya blinked.

"Just let him do it, Jiraiya. Besides, I'm not in the mood for fighting." Tsunade shrugged.

"They'll be here within a few minutes." Another boy's voice said, and Jiraiya turned to see a Hyuuga boy with blazing eyes.

"Good! I should soon be finished! Sakura, Sasuke, do you mind putting plates on the table?" Naruto yelled. Sakura and Sasuke rose. "How many?" The redhead asked.

"…12. Unless Haku and Zabuza joins us, then we'll be 14." Sasuke nodded.

Jiraiya shook his head and went to sit down.

XXX

Itachi looked warily at the door where they had figured Naruto Uzumaki to be. There were many chakra signatures there.

"Kisame. Be careful." He drawled. His blue-skinned partner raised an eyebrow at him, but knocked at the door instead of destroying it, as he had first intended to.

The oldest of the last Uchiha's blinked, as he saw none other than his little brother open the door.

"What? We're a bit busy. Dinner time." He said haughtily, until someone hit him on top of his head. "Don't be mean to strangers, Sasuke." A redheaded girl admonished him.

"They're not strangers though. Everyone knows who Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki are, so they can't be called strangers." Sasuke retorted as he rubbed his head.

"That's no excuse to be mean! But he's right; we're going to have dinner. Want some? Naruto's an amazing cook." She offered with a sweet smile. Kisame blinked, looked at Itachi, and shrugged. "Sure. Itachi never stops for eating."

"I do too." Itachi protested. "You don't! It's always tea and pocky, and then we're off again." Kisame exclaimed.

"Tomatoes are way better than pocky." Sasuke interjected. Itachi glared. "It is not!"

"It is too!"

"It is not! Pocky is the best!"

"Tomatoes are better!"

"Dinner! So shut up and come eat!" Naruto yelled. Sasuke and Sakura looked at each other and disappeared inside. Kisame trotted after calmly. Itachi blinked, sighed, and followed.

XXX

The dinner was …_not_ a tense affair, strangely enough.

"Itachi, send me the tomatoes."

"Hn."

"-And then that weird guy just keeled over!"

"Really? How come?"

"I've no idea. Must've hit him too hard with Samehada or something."

"No perving at the table, Jiraiya."

"Aww."

"Itachi, we really can't capture Blondie! His food is amazing!" Kisame exclaimed. Itachi gave a slight nod. "I suppose. But try to explain that to leader. 'We let him go because he makes good food.' I don't think that would sit well with him." He mused.

"We could always say that Lord Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade would be too much for us." Kisame pointed out, gesturing to the two who raised one eyebrow simultaneously.

"…That might work." Itachi agreed.

"So, let me get this right, you don't want to capture and kill my godson because he makes good food?" Jiraiya asked. Itachi and Kisame nodded. "And because he actually turned my little brother into a decent person. Somewhat." Itachi added.

"What do you mean somewhat? I'm a perfectly decent person! I like tomatoes, even!"

"Exactly."

"Hmph."

"It's quite clear they are brothers." Hinata smiled. Neji snorted. "Indeed." He nodded. "I'm really glad I don't have any brothers. Or sisters. Especially sisters." Shikamaru drawled.

"Those two looks like sisters." Neji pointed at where Anko and Shizune giggled inanely at something. Shikamaru grimaced. "I sure hope they're not planning anything." He muttered.

"…Let's hope so." Neji agreed with a twitch.

XXX

"Spread the news, I'm gonna take the fight, for the spotlight, day and night…" Naruto sang – not particularly skillfully, but not all that bad either. Itachi raised an eyebrow.

"He likes singing. Sometimes, he'll just suddenly start singing some random song." Sasuke explained. "Sasuke never wants to sing to my music." Sakura complained.

Sasuke huffed. "Well, I don't have singing voice. Try to get Itachi to sing instead." He gestured to his older brother, who snorted silently. "You'd have better luck with Kisame. He loves karaoke… and he's the one who sings 'Blue' in the original album of 'The Seven Swordsmen'." He smirked.

"…Really? Hey, Kisame! Can I get an autograph?" Sakura raced over to the blue-haired man, who blinked curiously.

"We'd better get going soon. Be wary, I think Orochimaru is in the area. I see you've already met him." Itachi lightly tapped the place where Sasuke had a cursed seal. The smaller Uchiha shrugged. "He surprised me. Naruto sealed it off though."

In an impulsive move, the younger Uchiha pulled his brother to him in a small hug. "Be careful, big brother." He said. The surprised Itachi nodded blankly, and smiled lightly as he poked Sasuke's forehead.

"I will. Tell Naruto we'll meet again."

With that, he disappeared. Kisame gave a wave before he too disappeared.

"What a way to not fight. Making dinner for the enemy." Jiraiya muttered, a lopsided smile on his face. Naruto just grinned at him.

XXX

"Naruto? The curse seal is acting up." Sasuke said silently. Naruto gazed at the red marks that tried to get past his seal. "I see it. Orochimaru is near. I had a feeling he would come." He smirked.

"Good! I'm going to smash his scull!" Sakura growled.

"Oh no, not only you. _We_ are going to smash his scull into teensy bits."

"…Or try, in any case?"

"Yeah, that."

XXX

**I hope it seemed okay? I kinda liked Itachi and Sasuke quarreling about favorite foods. xD**

**Please review! ^::^**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi! **

***Dodges shoe***

**I sincerely apologize for being so completely and utterly LATE - and for giving you such a short chapter too, it's only 2,375 words - but I find myself becoming more and more of a procrastinator. Yes, I'm aware this ain't good at all... but I can't find it in me to stop x/ **

**But, I finally managed to put this chapter together! Hope it fulfills your expectations, and if not... well, then I'll just have to try harder on the next chapter, won't I?**

**Here ya go:**

"I feel… as if I've forgotten something."

"Might be your shirt."

Naruto looked at himself, and blinked as he noticed he was only wearing a netting shirt, his normal one not in sight. He nodded sagely. "That's probably it."

Sasuke cleared his throat. "You might've forgotten, say, a plan for fighting Orochimaru too," he mused. The blonde stroked his imaginary beard. "Well damn. Improvising it is then. I'm pretty sure that over there is a certain snake."

"…Yep."

Sakura waved her hand, currently holding a frying pan. "I'm pretty sure you can use this, while I blast his ears out with music," she mused. Naruto grabbed it with a grin.

Several paces behind were the two 'good' sannin, as well as Anko, Shizune, Haku, Zabuza and team no-name-yet.

"This is so tr-!" Shikamaru stopped himself from saying the word with a sigh and a frown. Hinata giggled at him. "Almost, Shikamaru."

"I know, I know. Lady Tsunade, Lord Jiraiya, what is the plan? As opposed to those three idiots, I'm _not_ too fond of going into a situation without a plan," he drawled.

The blonde woman frowned. "Seeing as they are rather strange, they can at least stall Orochimaru for a while. I think Jiraiya and I am going to fight him for real," she decided.

Jiraiya nodded, but didn't say anything, looking serious. Zabuza snorted. "What, and let us others just work on snakeface's boytoy? I think not. The kids can play with him," he huffed. Haku smiled. "You could always try, Zabuza. Try not to be stepped on by their summons."

The bandage-faced man blinked, and cursed.

-X-

"Hey! Orochimaru! And Kabuto. I had the feeling you were an idiot. Seems I was right," Naruto mused as he stopped only a few meters in front of the two, Sakura and Sasuke at his sides.

"Oh no, Naruto, I think you are the one who are an idiot. You don't really think you can fight Lord Orochimaru, do you?" Kabuto said smoothly. Naruto looked at his frying pan, then to Orochimaru, and then back again.

"Frying pans are dreadfully underestimated."

The snake sannin and his assistant looked a bit incredulous. "Frying pans?" the black-haired man questioned. Naruto nodded. "Yes, frying pans. You can throw 'em, hit someone with 'em, or improvise solutions with 'em. Very easy to use too," he explained.

"I see."

Sasuke snorted at the sannin's flat expression. "Look, if we had carried a frying pan in the forest, you'd have been toast. Or pancake. At least for a little while, before hopping up and giving me a freaky hickey," he claimed.

Orochimaru looked miffed. "It is not a hickey!" he hissed irritably. Sakura tilted her head. "It kinda looked like one though, before it turned into a freaky seal – which we've sealed up, by the way," she smiled brightly at him.

"With what? A puny stop-the-evil seal?" Kabuto smirked. Naruto twisted his face into a thoughtful look. "Well, no. It's a complex work of several factors intertwined," he shrugged. Kabuto gave him a flat glance. "Do you even know what those words mean?"

"I'm fairly sure I do, elseways I wouldn't have used 'em," Naruto retorted matter-of-factly. Sasuke suddenly got a look as if he discovered the truth to eternal life. "Holy shit! I just realized something! I watched a movie, some days ago. Really sappy romantic thing. And the thing is: I'm pretty sure we could exchange the main characters with those two!" he pointed at Orochimaru and Kabuto.

They glared, and Orochimaru hissed. "Foolish boy, do you not know my power?" he snapped.

All three crazies smiled brightly. "Yeah, we do! It's kind of why we stalled until your bestest friends in the whole world arrived!"

On cue, Tsunade and Jiraiya dropped to stand in front of the trio.

Orochimaru cursed.

-X-

While the three legendary ninja fought in large-scale, all of them having their boss summons at the ready, Team Crazy and Not-named-yet were standing up against Kabuto.

"So many for poor little me? I'm flattered, really," he said sarcastically. Anko waved from where she was watching the big battle. "You should be, they're not all gonna fight you anyway," she claimed.

"Yeah, now see, Kabuto, the plan is simple. We play around a little, and then you die. Got it?" Sasuke drawled. The gray-haired man sneered coolly. "You may try," he replied.

"Yay! I got this fancy new attack I've wanted to try! Get ready for the Bass Cannon!" Sakura grinned widely. Kabuto blinked. "Bass…Cannon…?"

The red-haired girl pulled a tiny speaker from her ninja pouch. Kabuto looked incredulously at it. Then she pushed a button.

A concentrated beam of blue, accompanied by heavy bass-music, streamed out. Kabuto hurriedly dodged, and stared as the beam went right through a solid rock.

Naruto and Sasuke gave the girl a thumbs up. She beamed happily.

"I do wonder where they get their ideas from," Neji remarked. Hinata smiled. "Who knows?" she replied. Shikamaru yawned. "I think we're better off not knowing," he decided.

The two Hyuuga nodded.

"Should we try helping?" Hinata wondered. The ponytailed boy shrugged. "Get into positions so he can't get away. And be careful for either gigantic, not-really-possible summons, or the crazies crazy ideas."

"Sounds like a plan."

-X-

Kabuto swiped after Sasuke with a chakra scalpel, and went back to his arrogant pose. "You don't really think you can beat me, do you?" he asked condescendingly.

Sasuke tilted his head to the left, then to the right. "I really think you're kinda arrogant. Oh, and watch out for my wires, they're sharp," he smiled, and Kabuto's eyes widened, before he leapt back just before said wires snapped together around him.

"You oughta pay attention to things!" Sakura declared, before trying to drop-kick him. The gray-haired boy frowned in annoyance as he barely evaded the surprisingly strong kick.

"Transformation jutsu!"

Kabuto groaned in annoyance, and then stopped to stare even more incredulously at Naruto. The genin around him all snickered.

In Naruto's place stood a tiny, presumably ancient man with a cane and a furious look on his face. "GET OFF MY LAWN!" he yelled. Sakura put her hand on her hip. "You heard him, you juvenile teen!" she added.

"…Seriously?" Kabuto deadpanned, only to yelp as Naruto threw the cane at him. "Yes, seriously! We have our team name for a reason!" he declared.

The white-haired-not-genin sneered, a tick above his eye. "If you're so crazy, stop attacking me and let me get rid of you then!" he growled. They stopped moving to look at him as if he was stupid.

"We're crazy, not stupid," Sasuke said dryly.

"I think you're a bit of both!" Zabuza called grumpily, annoyed at not being allowed to fight. All three glared at him. Kabuto glared at them. The rest of the ninja not fighting smiled at the plain strangeness of the situation.

-X-

"Argh, I'm damn tired of you, you healing freak!" Naruto yelled in aggravation as Kabuto once again healed the wounds he had gotten. Sakura darted over to the blonde, just as Sasuke did the same.

"I think I know something he can't heal…" Sakura sang, folding her fingers into a heart over her chest. Sasuke nodded. "Sakura's right. If you crush his heart, he'll probably be very dead," he mused.

Naruto grinned.

"Good. Then I just need the chance to do so. Sakura, use your sound to herd him to a good place where Sasuke can catch him – roast him to the ground or something – and then we'll see how effective his healing really is!"

"Got it!" they chorused, and jumped into action. Kabuto sneered, eyeing Sasuke warily and jumping away from him each time Sakura tried to hit him. It worked fairly well…

Until Naruto appeared behind him, that was. Kabuto blinked, and cursed as he realized the error he had done. Well, errors.

"Lessee, ah, perfect. Chopstick of pointiness jutsu!"

The boy wearing glasses turned just in time to see several chopsticks materializing around Naruto, before they moved with surprising speed and went through his shoulders, hands and knees, before pinning him to a rock.

When had that rock gotten there anyway? He was fairly sure there was no rock earlier…

The trio surrounded him, and Sakura gave him a whack with Naruto's frying pan. "Ouch!" he yelped. That thing hurt like hell!

"So… how do we get his heart out of his body?" Naruto questioned, looking thoughtfully at him. Sakura smiled. "Stick your hand in and grab it?" she suggested. Naruto glanced at Sasuke, who shrugged. "Sure, whatever. Oh, I know. Grab it and let him see you crush it. Then he'll finally understand how much he underestimated us," he pointed out.

Naruto grinned darkly. "Sure thing!"

Kabuto gulped.

"Heal this, you flipped over caricature of a medic!"

Shikamaru raised one eyebrow. "That… looks rather disturbing," he said dryly. Hinata and Neji nodded in unison, looking rather disturbed themselves.

Haku's smile had stiffened, and she looked rather off-kilter. While Zabuza and Anko were looking on with interest, studying the trio of crazies.

"Hm, works fairly well. He looks pretty dead. And the scary factor is pretty good too," the purple-haired woman nodded to herself. Zabuza snorted. "Yeah," he agreed.

"…When did the world go crazy, again? I must've been asleep at the time."

-X-

Naruto stared morosely at his frying pan. The fight was over, Orochimaru had retreated like the snake he was, and everything was actually pretty fine, except for one thing…

"Kabuto's head was too hard! He ruined my awesome frying pan!" the blonde cried. Sakura patted his head calmly. "There, there, it'll be okay. Sasuke can fix it," she assured him.

"He can!?"

Sasuke nodded solemnly. "I can."

"Is it just me, or are they getting more crazy?" Neji wondered, watching the trio with something like amusement. Hinata tilted her head, before nodding sagely. "I'm fairly sure they are," she agreed.

"Tch, whatever. Let them be crazy if they want," Shikamaru drawled, lying on the soft grass with his eyes closed. The two Hyuuga glanced at him, and smiled and smirked respectively.

The adults were drinking, kind of celebrating their win, while the kids squabbled around. And slept. And shared conspirational smiles.

"What are you smiling for?" Haku questioned, looking warily at Hinata and Naruto. They blinked simultaneously. "Oh, we're just… sharing a frequency," the blonde said lightly.

Haku blinked, raising one eyebrow. "Sharing a frequency? How so?" he demanded. The boy with the frying pan shrugged. "It's a secret," he said with a smile.

The feminine boy huffed childishly. "Fine. Then I'll keep secrets too!" he declared. Hinata eyed him thoughtfully. "Really, you will? Keep secrets from me?" she wondered, giving him a wide-eyed look.

Haku glared slightly. "That won't work on me, Hinata. Use your puppy eyes on someone else," he sniffed. Hinata shrugged. "Too bad," she mused airily.

A burst of maniacal laughter had everyone look to see Sasuke burn what seemed to be a plush doll of Kabuto. Sakura smiled brightly. "Ooh, I want one of those!" she declared.

Everyone but the rest of the crazy trio rolled their eyes in exasperated amusement.

"To think we follow these guys."

-X-

"So, where are we going next?" was the question set forth by… well, everyone. Naruto got a thoughtful expression. "Maybe… Mist? I wanna see Mist. And if they're still in a civil war, then we'll join one side, mash the other one, and _then_ see Mist. Sound good?" he asked happily.

"Yup!" Sakura agreed. "Affirmative," said Sasuke.

Neji and Hinata looked to Shikamaru, who shrugged. The grown-ups, including Haku, gained exasperated looks. "Lead the way," Jiraiya said. Naruto blinked, perplexed. "Aren't you supposed to return to Konoha?"

The white-haired sage waved his hand. "I'm never on time anyway," he smiled. The blonde lit up like a christmas light. "Awesome! Up, up, and away!" he declared, suddenly running off in one direction.

Sakura checked a compass that she somehow had fastened on her dj/mixing tablet. "Oi, Naruto! You're going the wrong way! Turn to the right!"

"Righty-O!"

"Let's get going, before we lose him!" Sasuke advised.

Everyone did as advised.

-X-

Sakura's head nodded this way and that as she fiddled with her tablet, headphones on, allowing no one to hear whatever she was creating at the moment.

Next to her, Sasuke was amusing himself by making figures of his teammates with his wire, without ever touching the wire itself.

Last of the trio was Naruto, who was was dancing around to some inaudible tune of his own, taking a cartwheel or two while he was at it.

"Naruto? Do you even know where we are going?" Shikamaru questioned lazily, getting tired just from watching the never-ending energetic moves of the blonde.

"Hm…no. In the direction of Mist," Naruto replied happily. The pineapple-haired boy facepalmed. "Why, oh why, am I not surprised?" he muttered sarcastically.

"Probably because you're getting used to him," Hinata pitched in sagely. Shikamaru gave a groan. "I don't _want _to get used to him!"

"Then maybe you shouldn't have come?" Neji said easily, raising one eyebrow at him. Shikamaru tossed him a glare and muttered something intelligible.

Haku smiled. "I think Shikamaru is getting withdrawal symptoms from not being allowed to say 'troublesome'," he mused. The others blinked, before nodding sagely. "Haku's the doc. He's probably right too," Naruto agreed.

"Probably?" the feminine boy repeated in a miffed tone. Naruto grinned, and nodded. "Probably," he repeated once more. Haku sniffed, turning away childishly.

"Oi, blonde brat. We're getting closer to Mist now," Zabuza said gruffly, pointing into the misty terrain with his sword. He looked vaguely unsettled. The blonde grew uncharacteristically solemn. "We'll keep together as a group. It's safer in this mist. If we hear battle, Neji and Hinata will scan before we move on," he said calmly.

Everyone's eyes were wide. "Holy-! Naruto can be serious!? Uh, okay, got it," Anko nodded. She too had noticed the change in Zabuza, but hadn't thought much of it – stupid of her, actually. Weren't they friends, of sorts? She nodded to herself. She would watch out more for these people.

They began moving, melting into the mist.

-X-

**Not too much of a disappointment, I hope? While writing this chapter, I've been dabbling in 10 different series/movies/whatever at least, and that inevitably carries over into my other stuff - I love crossovers, of all kinds and shapes and sizes! - though I do try to keep them separate.**

**For disney fans out there, you might recognize the frying pan - it's from disney's newest Rapunzel, or rather Tangled, that is. I just love that frying pan. x3**

**I'll stop rambling now. **


End file.
